20 years of YouTube and the future of the internet

It gave rise to a culture where unknown voices could find an audience. It was wild. It was unpredictable. It was exhilarating.

On March 3, the Supreme Court lifted its fortnight-old moratorium on a YouTuber making content. Think about that for a moment. The highest court did not fine or warn the man; instead, it had legally barred him from producing videos.

‘Me at the Zoo’, the first video posted on YouTube. (Screengrab)

Ranveer Allahbadia, one of India’s most recognisable YouTubers, made some distasteful and vulgar comments in an episode of a comedy show that triggered an online firestorm. In response, the Supreme Court stepped in and ordered him to stop making content.