Nine new YouTubes — YouTube Japan, YouTube France…
By David Cassel
Yesterday YouTube opened nine different versions of their video-sharing service — one for each of the following countries.
(Click the hyperlinks to check them out!)
But is this really useful? Let’s take a good look at what YouTube is offering…
Each country has its own unique homepage, with “local” search functions, and text translated into their spoken language.
YouTube said the new local YouTubes will let users “share and create videos in their local language, discover the most popular and relevant videos in their markets, and connect with other local users.” Soon YouTube will even add country-specific rankings for each service’s video, according to an announcement Tuesday, along with country-specific channels, categories, and community sections.
Not only that, but YouTube’s CEO and co-founder announced that this was only the beginning, and more countries would be getting their own customized version of YouTube “in the months to come.” YouTube has already signed some big names in international video to provide content for the services, including the BBC, France 24, Spanish Antena 3 and Cuatro TV, plus several European football clubs, and even non-profit groups like Greenpeace.
But there could be a downside. YouTube’s users will be far less likely to see videos from outside their own country — and their votes will probably be cordoned off from the “non-native” YouTubes. Suddenly the global internet shrinks for everyone, down to a mostly-local perspective, with YouTube dropping each nation into its own individual silo.
More useful, yes. But also — more limited?
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