20 years of YouTube: 'We couldn’t have predicted how the platform would evolve'

What launched the careers of Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran, gave the world Gangnam Style and K-Pop, sneezing pandas and Mr Beast? Yes, YouTube. As the video streaming platform turns 20, Suzanne Harrington meets Alison Lomax, CEO for Ireland and the UK

Alison Lomax, MD of YouTube in UK & Ireland. Picture: Moya Nolan.

What toppled Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, launched the careers of Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran, and gave the world Gangnam Style and K-pop, sneezing pandas, and Mr Beast? 

Yes, YouTube. Happy 20th birthday to the video-streaming platform with three billion users in 100 countries, the world’s second biggest search engine, and a billion hours of content a day. Crikey. Has it really been 20 years?