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Your Ticket to Davos

Ramya — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Do you have the ultimate idea about how to close the poverty gap? Here’s your chance to tell the world. For the fourth year, through the Davos Debates program, one lucky YouTube user will get an all-access pass to the World Economic Forum in Davos, where global leaders gather to tackle the most important issues facing our world.

To enter the running, all you have to do is submit your one-minute video summarizing your ideas on the importance of inclusive growth - a key theme of this year’s event. Not sure what inclusive growth really means? Past Davos Debates winners break it down for you here:

The winner with the best video will be selected as an informal YouTube community representative to participate in the Annual Meeting and take part in a special panel during the event. You’ll not only have the opportunity to rub elbows with the most powerful leaders in the world, you’ll be given a platform to share your views with them.

The deadline to submit your ideas is January 14, so visit the Davos channel today to make your voice heard.

Ramya Raghavan, News and Politics Manager, recently watched "White House Tree Time-Lapse"

Election results and trends, live on YouTube tonight

Ramya — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 16:50:00 +0000

It’s been a memorable campaign season on YouTube, but the time for persuasion and debate is over -- now it’s time to vote. As polling results come in from across the country, we’re partnering with CBS News to live stream election results and highlight election trends on YouTube and Google. Tune in starting at 9 p.m. ET to youtube.com/CBSNews.

Already, CBS has been highlighting election trends through data from Google and YouTube platforms. In addition to analyzing the top political videos on YouTube, they’re watching Google Trends and Insights for Search to determine what people are searching for and watching online. This approach of examining web trends adds a new level of depth to election reporting and is a model that news organizations can use for any major event or milestone. You can expect more data on tonight’s broadcast. We’ve already seen today that 9 of the top 10 searches on Google.com today are election-related -- most of them queries on where to vote.

In addition to following the election trends tonight, CBS is also asking for your election feedback and ideas on a Google Moderator series on their channel. Login now and submit your thoughts and questions. The top-voted submissions could end up on air.

Ramya Raghavan, YouTube News and Politics, recently watched “I Remember”

The 2010 election on YouTube: By the numbers

Ramya — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 22:02:00 +0000

In these 2010 midterm elections, campaigns, voters and interest groups have continued to innovate new ways to share their political opinions on YouTube. Because YouTube allows anyone to post and share videos globally, you’ve made this platform the vanguard of the political media discussion. Some of these efforts to influence the political dialog on YouTube were more successful than others. Today, we’re sharing who emerged on top of the YouTube elections heap – and we’re going strictly by the numbers.

The top 10 most-viewed videos, sourced from all videos categorized as News & Politics on YouTube, are a mixed bag of official campaign videos, user-generated content and videos from interest groups:

1. Congressman Assaults Student on Sidewalk
2. We Are Better than That

3. America Rising - An Open Letter to Democrat Politicians
4. President Obama, No One is Laughing in Arizona
5. Language
6. Brewer to Obama: Warning Signs are not Enough

7. Those Voices Don’t Speak for the Rest of Us
8. FCINO: Fiscal Conservative in Name Only
9. Governor Christie Responds to Teacher During Town Hall
10. Arizona Sing-A-Long: Read Immigration Law!

Interestingly, every video in the top 10 comes from the Republicans, which is quite a departure from 2008 when left-leaning Yes We Can topped the charts. In addition, immigration was an extremely hot topic on YouTube this year, with three of the 10 most-viewed videos about the Arizona immigration law (and two videos came from Arizona Governor Jan Brewer).

Now, let’s take a look specifically at the 450 candidates for public office who’ve registered for official Politician channels on YouTube this fall. Here’s a rundown of the top 10 most-viewed Politician channels on YouTube in the last month:

Leading the pack is Christine O’Donnell, whose “I’m You” video inspired hundreds of thousands of views...and quite a few parodies.

YouTube Insight allows us to see where the view counts are coming for any individual video. For example, parodies of O’Donnell’s “I’m You” video (like the Gregory Brothers’ “Songify This”) received millions more views than O’Donnell’s original campaign video nationally, but Insight shows us that O’Donnell still received more views in the state of Delaware than any parody video.

Similarly, the memorable “Why” video from the No. 2 politician on the list, Kentucky Senate candidate Jack Conway, shows that he too did an effective job of targeting voters in his state - even though the video went viral nationally.

Stay tuned tomorrow for more YouTube and Google video and trends data, during our special Election Night coverage with CBS News.

Ramya Raghavan, YouTube News and Politics, recently watched “Mourning in America”.

Your 60 seconds, on 60 Minutes

Ramya — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:46:00 +0000

It's one of the most-watched hours of TV every week, and now it’s coming to YouTube. 60 Minutes, CBS's long-standing, Emmy-award winning Sunday night news program, has started a YouTube channel to post stories from the show. Now, if you miss 60 Minutes on a Sunday night, you can tune in Monday morning and watch the stories on YouTube at youtube.com/60minutes.

But that's not all. The 60 Minutes team wants to hear your feedback on the issues and the people their correspondents cover. So we’re partnering in a new program called, “Ask 60 Minutes,” where you can engage directly with their correspondents. This week, we’re featuring correspondent Lara Logan’s story from the Afghanistan/Pakistan border, where she spent weeks with the 101st Airborne undergoing relentless attacks. The commanding officers in the piece all point to Pakistan as the staging area for attacks from foreign fighters – not only the Taliban, but Uzbeks, Chechens, Arabs and Pakistanis as well. Lara Logan wants to know what you think about the story:

Go to the 60 Minutes YouTube channel to upload a 60-second video with your thoughts, as well as vote on others responses. If you don’t want to use video, you can submit your feedback in text. 60 Minutes producers may broadcast some of the top-voted responses on TV (that's a weekly audience of 13 million!) or respond to them directly on their website, 60minutes.com.

Steve Grove, Head of News and Politics, recently watched "Michael Jackson on 60 Minutes."

50 years after Nixon v. Kennedy, a new kind of political debate

Ramya — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 11:00:00 +0000

It was 50 years ago today that then-Senator from Massachusetts John F. Kennedy took on then-Vice President Richard Nixon in the first-ever general election presidential debate. The debate was a turning point not only for the 1960 election, but also for U.S. politics: an estimated 80 million people tuned in, and the debate set a new precedent for the use of television as a political communications tool. To celebrate the anniversary, we’ve partnered with the Kennedy Presidential Library to post the full, unabridged Nixon/Kennedy debate to YouTube.

The web, of course, is the latest communications platform to change the way debates are run. In the last presidential election cycle, we partnered with CNN on the CNN/YouTube debates -- which gave everyone a chance to ask a question of presidential candidates -- and we’ve since launched Google Moderator, which allows citizens to submit and vote on questions presented to public officials on YouTube. For the 2010 midterm elections, we’re partnering with news agencies across the country for a series of debates. Here are a few of them that we’re launching today:

Nevada: we’re partnering with the Nevada Broadcasters Association for a Senate debate on October 14 between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Republican challenger Sharron Angle. Submit your questions here.
Iowa: we’re working with the Des Moines Register and Iowa Public Television for the October 21 gubernatorial debate between Governor Chet Culver and challenger Terry Branstad. Submit your questions here.
Colorado: we’re partnering with KUSA 9 News and the Denver Post for a gubernatorial debate between Democrat John Hickenlooper, Republican Dan Maes and American Constution Party candidate Tom Tancredo on October 13. Submit your questions here.
Connecticut: we're teaming up with WTNH and the Day of New London for a Senate debate between Republican Linda McMahon and Democrat Richard Blumenthal, as well as a Gubernatorial debate between Tom Foley and Dan Malloy. Submit your questions for the Senate race here, and the Gubernatorial here.
10questions: We’ve also partnered with 10Questions.com, who used the Google Moderator API to build a platform for a web debates series across the country, in which candidates will submit their answers to the top-voted questions via YouTube videos. You’ll also see this platform in action in TV debates in both California and Georgia in the coming weeks.

More open, engaging political debates benefit voters, candidates, news agencies, and the political process. If you're a broadcaster, blogger, campaign or citizen looking to hold a debate in your city or state, check out our debate landing page for easy instructions on how to use Google Moderator to solicit and broadcast questions from voters via YouTube.

Steve Grove, YouTube News and Politics, recently watched Hardball isn’t just played at Fenway Park

Elmo answers your questions about housing prices on Sesame Street, Cookie’s veggie intake, and more

Ramya — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 10:00:00 +0000

It’s not every day you get an all-access pass to one of the most famous neighborhoods in the world and one of it’s most celebrated residents. So when Elmo, Sesame Street’s lovable red monster, offered to answer questions from the YouTube community, you seized the opportunity.

Thousands of you asked questions, ranging from “What would you do if you suddenly woke up and were purple?” to whether he would consider a tap dance routine with Ricky Gervais (who recently made a Sesame Street appearance). The result? A very entertaining YouTube interview. Watch it for yourself here:

Elmo now also holds the title for answering the most number of questions in any YouTube interview. He may be small but he can talk fast, rolling through over 20 questions in just 20 minutes. And his good humor shines through: almost every one of his answers is punctuated with his signature giggle.

Are there other characters you’d like the chance to interact with? Let us know in the comments and we’ll pass the info on to our friends at Sesame Street.

Ramya Raghavan, News and Public Interest Manager, recently watched “Will.i.am’s Song: What I am.”

President Clinton: The YouTube Interview

Ramya — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 04:01:00 +0000

You asked, and he answered: see President Bill Clinton in our latest YouTube Interview on CitizenTube:

Tomorrow, the former President launches his sixth annual Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting in New York, where he’ll bring together CEO’s, philanthropists, nonprofits, and political leaders all in once place to make “commitments” to fund ideas and organizations who are tackling some of the world’s biggest problems. The focus areas of the meeting are empowering women and girls, market-based solutions to problems, access to modern technology, and harnessing human potential.

You have the opportunity to join the discussion at CGI, via a special Moderator series they have set up on their YouTube channel. Hear more from New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, and submit your questions now.

Steve Grove, Head of News and Politics, recently watched, “Join the Conversation at #CGI2010”

Make a great play. Get on SportsCenter.

Ramya — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 22:42:00 +0000

If you’ve made a buzzer-beating three-pointer, a bending free kick goal, a diving fingertip catch, a walk-off home run or a fantastic play in whatever your sport, this is the chance to show the world what you’ve got.

Today we kickoff the YouTube & SportsCenter Your Highlight program presented by AT&T -- the opportunity to have your great sports moment shown on SportsCenter (on TV!).

Go to ESPN’s YouTube channel, check out the rules and submit your great sports video before Tuesday, November 30. SportsCenter’s Emmy-winning producers will select the best videos, which will then be voted upon by the YouTube community. The winner will be flown to ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn., for the taping of a special segment on SportsCenter.

Fall sports season is just about to get underway, and we’re hoping to see amazing plays from amateur hoop stars and gridiron heroes across the US. Even if you’re not submitting, come back to the channel to see a gallery of the best submissions throughout the fall.

Good luck and go get 'em.

Andrew Bangs, Sports Manager, recently watched “Scottie Pippen: The Ewing Dunk.”

President Clinton takes your questions on YouTube

Ramya — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:00:00 +0000

William Jefferson Clinton has worn many hats over the years. He served two terms as the 42nd President of the United States. He founded the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative to tackle problems like global health, poverty, education and climate change. He’s spent much of this year leading the recovery effort in Haiti through the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund.

And starting now, he’s taking your questions in an exclusive YouTube interview. Hear more about the interview and the President’s work straight from the man himself:

To participate, visit www.youtube.com/citizentube and use the Moderator platform to upload your video question for President Clinton—and vote for the ones you like the best. You can also submit a text question if you can’t record a video.

Later this month, at his annual Clinton Global Initiative meeting, President Clinton will sit down with us and answer a selection of your top-voted questions in our interview.

Submit your question and start voting early! The submission period closes on September 13.

Ramya Raghavan, YouTube News and Politics, recently watched, “Elizabeth Warren - Got a New Sheriff.”

Introducing our most monstrous YouTube interview yet

Ramya — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:00:00 +0000

We’ve had a lot of famous folks sit down for interviews in the past year, like President Obama, Shakira and Katy Perry, but our next subject, with his tony address and instant name recognition, may have celebrity status that tops all the rest.

Through a partnership with Sesame Street, Elmo will answer your burning questions right here on YouTube. So, moms and dads, if your family has ever wondered, “How exactly do you get, do you get, to Sesame Street?” or whether Oscar’s really as grouchy as he seems, here’s your chance to ask. More details from Elmo himself here:

And if you need some extra inspiration thinking up questions, take a spin through some of these Elmo classics:

Upload your video question to the Moderator gadget on Sesame Street’s YouTube channel and vote on the ones you think Elmo should answer by September 15. He’ll answer the top-voted ones in a few weeks.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits Manager, recently watched “Monster in the Mirror”

5 Questions for Mark Horvath, Founder of InvisiblePeople. tv

Ramya — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 04:00:00 +0000

We're always inspired by the people who use YouTube as a way to document how the other half lives, and Mark Horvath is a great example. As the founder of Invisible People. tv, a project that encourages homeless people across the United States to tell their stories on YouTube, he has sparked a discussion on the site about poverty and hunger. Mark's videos are a raw and real depiction of what it's like to live in a tent city, under an overpass, or within a cardboard box. Today, we're featuring a few of these videos on the YouTube homepage, and we’re pleased for Mark to speak further about his work right here.

1) Why did you start Invisible People. tv, and specifically, Road Trip U. S. A. ?
Sixteen years ago, I had a very good job in the television industry. Fifteen years ago, I became homeless, living on Hollywood Boulevard. I rebuilt my life to a point where I had a three-bedroom house and a 780 credit score, then in 2007 the economy took a nosedive. Like many Americans, I found myself unemployed, living off my credit cards, and hoping for the best. The best never came, but several layoffs — along with foreclosure on my house — did.

By November 2008, I found myself once again laid off. I was mentally and emotionally exhausted and, to be honest, I was scared of once again living on the streets of Hollywood. I could see homelessness all around me, but I couldn’t bear to look. I was turning away because I felt their pain.

Don't waste a good crisis. It’s a simple concept and it’s how InvisiblePeople. tv started. For the most part I had lost everything but some furniture, my car, a box of photos, laptop, small camera, and my iPhone. My laptop could not cut video because it had a 5400 drive. Videos need to have a music bed, nice graphics, b-roll and be well-produced. But after looking at what I didn't have and all the problems that were stopping me, I decided to just use what I had. I registered a domain, changed the header on a WordPress theme, grabbed my camera, and started to interview people.

I honestly didn't think anyone would even view the videos. I was really doing it to release something that was deep down inside me, and to be candid, to keep busy. It was a really dark time and InvisiblePeople. tv gave me a purpose.

I'll never forget going into the first tent city. It was 400 yards in a wooded area where no help could easily arrive if I found myself in trouble. I questioned my sanity walking in there with a camera and a bag of socks. One smart thing I did was blast what I was doing all over social media so people could feel like they were right there with me. That day my life changed. People started to tweet me encouragement and all kinds of support. The InvisiblePeople. tv road trip was born.

Last year I traveled 11,236 miles around the U.S. in a three-month period. I went under bridges, into tent cities, and walked through many shelters and rundown hotels. There was no way anyone could foresee the impact. I became a catalyst for change in several communities. Housing programs were started; feeding programs were started; 50 homeless kids who could not go to school because they didn't have shoes suddenly had brand new shoes within an hour of my visit thanks to social media. A farmer even donated 40 acres of land that is now even being used to supplement low income families in a local school. I could go on and on.

2) Do you consider your work citizen reporting, activism or a combination of both?
I am a storyteller. I also empower people to tell their own stories. Not sure you could frame me as a citizen journalist or activist even though there are elements to both in what I do. Beth Kanter coins the term "Free Agent" in her book “The Networked Nonprofit.” I like that.

3) Is there one story that has particularly inspired you to keep doing what you're doing?
Last year I met Angela, who is living under a bridge in Atlanta and she changed me. She is dying under that bridge...

When I asked what was being done to help her, the response I received was, "We bring her sandwiches.” Sandwiches are not enough. Up to that point I thought that people should do whatever they can do to help – even if it’s just baking cookies. After meeting Angela I realized people need housing, jobs and health services. So maybe your support level is just baking cookies. That's fine. But don't just randomly hand them out. Take your cookies to an organization that is providing housing, jobs and health services.

4) You've collected hundreds of interviews with homeless people around the world. Why do you think folks are willing to talk to you about their experiences? Are there any special tactics you use to draw out their stories?
The #1 rule is: respect everyone. I never force a story. In fact, the best stories are the ones I never get on camera. That's kind of why I don't feel citizen journalist fits me. I honestly put people before the story.

I also use socks to break the ice. Socks on the streets are like gold. Almost all organizations, churches or groups will feed homeless people. In most parks where homeless hang out churches will feed the same people all day long, but rarely are socks handed out. By handing a homeless person a clean pair of socks, even without saying a word, they know I know a thing or two about street life.

Once someone agrees to an interview and the camera is recording, I simply do my best to be a good listener. That's not always easy when my heart gets wrecked.

5) At the end of each video, you ask your subject, "If you had three wishes, what would they be?" What are your three wishes?
Back years ago, working as a TV producer, if an interview went dry I would distract and refocus by asking people their three wishes. When I first started InvisiblePeople. tv, I did it once in a while. I didn't know the impact that question had on the viewers. Then last year, when I spoke at the University of Arkansas, the organizer secretly had everyone in the audience write on large, white poster board their three wishes. When I was done speaking, they all held them up to show me. Talk about a powerful memory! From that moment on I have asked everyone what their three wishes are.

My first wish would be that people really see the reality of homelessness; second, that we develop communities and work as a team to solve this social crisis. The third? I would like security and normalcy in my life, but with a name like Hardly Normal, it's never going to happen!

Please always remember: the homeless people you’ll ignore today were much like you not so long ago.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched "Cliff".

Shakira talks World Cup upsets, Waka Waka and education in YouTube interview

Ramya — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 04:00:00 +0000

The most difficult moment in Shakira’s musical career? Her thoughts on her song being picked as the official World Cup song instead of an African artist? The one question she’s always wanted to answer? You asked, and today, Shakira answers.

Last week, we gave you 48 hours to submit questions for the Colombian songstress and promised that the top-voted questions would be posed in a special YouTube interview with her. Proving that Shakira truly is a global sensation, fans from over 40 countries -- from Egypt to Venezuela, the Netherlands to South Africa -- submitted 2,500 questions, put forth several impressive Waka Waka dance renditions, and cast 40,000 votes on which questions should be asked.

In the final interview, which is featured on today’s homepage, Shakira fills you in on whom she’s rooting for in the World Cup (she’s absolutely hooked on football, she says), which of her own songs are her favorite (her new album holds a few of them), and the experiences she had as a child that led her to become a steadfast champion for universal education. Watch the full interview here:

Can’t get enough Shakira? Visit her official YouTube channel here for more music and dance exclusives, or go to www.1goal.org to join Shakira in her quest to provide education for all children.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism, recently watched "Waka Waka."

Shakira takes your questions on YouTube

Ramya — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 21:30:00 +0000

She’s a global music star with hypnotic dance moves, a philanthropist and a YouTube phenom (her “Waka Waka” video, made for the 2010 World Cup, has over 32 million views). But now, Shakira is opening herself up to your questions.

Beginning today, you can ask her any question you’d like -- about her music, her work supporting education for all children through the 1Goal campaign and her own Barefoot Foundation, her World Cup stint, or anything else. The top questions will be posed to the Colombian songstress in an interview next week.

Here’s more from the lady herself:

Questions should be submitted in either video (preferable) or text to www.youtube.com/join1goal before midnight PT on Saturday, June 26. The full interview will be posted to the same channel and featured on the YouTube homepage next week.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched “Queen Rania Invites You to Join 1Goal.”

Protecting yourself, your subjects and your human rights videos on YouTube

Ramya — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Last week we started a blog series with WITNESS, a human rights video advocacy and training organization, highlighting the role that online video is playing in human rights advocacy. And though activists around the world have shown how powerful YouTube can be as a tool to raise awareness of human rights violations, this kind of work opens up new risks, online and offline. This post is designed to help you maximize the effect of your human rights videos while protecting those you're trying to help -- and ensuring your videos don't get taken down from YouTube.

Before you even start shooting video, it's important to assess the risk, understand your audience, and develop your message. This short animation, part of a series that WITNESS released, will help you think through your preparation:

One of the most important factors in creating human rights video is protecting the people you feature. In the past, videographers could generally control the size and scope of their audience, but nowadays it's safe to assume that if a human rights video is online, it's only a matter of time before the offenders see it. So it's always good practice to get informed consent from the people you film. That means making sure they understand the possible negative consequences of appearing in your video. You can also blur or obscure faces, to mitigate the ability of authorities to reveal someones identity or location. This is important: authorities in Burma, for example, have used online footage of protests to identify and arrest activists. Here's a good example of protecting an interviewee's voice and face, from a human rights organization in Israel:

But you don't need editing software to protect someones identity. You can do it with back-lighting, too, as in this video:

Once you've addressed the ethical and safety issues of your video, it's time to think about distribution. In some cases, it's not important how many people see your video, but who sees it. Activists worldwide use YouTube to post human rights footage and advocacy videos, but in some cases it may not be the best or only choice. You might have better results by keeping your footage private, but threatening to make it public -- or you may not need to put the video online at all and hold a local screening instead.

That said, your potential to reach a large audience online is a big advantage. If you do decide to post your human rights footage to YouTube, you should thoroughly read our Community Guidelines to understand what kind of content is acceptable on the site. Though we don't accept violent or graphic content on YouTube, exceptions are made for content that is educational, scientific or documentary in nature. When reviewing the content that is flagged by our community, our bias is toward free expression -- with necessary limits to ensure the site remains a safe and vibrant platform for the discussion of ideas. Understanding the context surrounding your content, and its original intent, is important for our team. Here are a few things you can do to protect your videos and keep them on the site.

Add as much context as possible. Titling and tagging your video correctly is the best way to add context to your videos. When our team is reviewing flagged content, titles or tags with words as simple as “human rights" or "police abuse" will help us understand the context of the footage you're uploading. Try to add some specific information into the description: who is in the video, what is happening, where and when did it happen, and why. You can also add this detail directly onto the video itself, using our annotations tool.
Get consent. As we mentioned before, it's important to get the consent of those you're filming. If someone flags your video and complains about appearing in it, we may have it taken down, particularly if they are not a public figure, are in a private place, or make other claims of harassment.
Understand local laws. Given the global scope of the YouTube platform, we comply with different sets of laws in the various countries in which we're launched (to see where we're launched, go to the YouTube.com footer and click "Worldwide"). If the content in your video is illegal in one of these countries, we must comply with the local formal legal processes. For instance, that means that in Germany we don't stream videos that are sympathetic to Nazism. Know your local laws before you upload.
Understand copyright. It's important to have a good handle on our copyright policies. If someone makes a claim against your video, perhaps because they believe they own the soundtrack or the footage itself, you can file a counter-notice. Though it's not YouTube's role to make fair use judgments on content, here is a helpful guide that WITNESS recommends you consult on fair use issues in online video, and some ethical considerations for when you're re-mixing human rights footage. Many content creators license their videos and audio for re-use with Creative Commons licenses.
Be in touch with us. We want to hear from you. If you believe your account has been hacked, for example, visit our Help Center to let us know, and we'll investigate. We also track breaking news videos from citizen sources at CitizenTube, our news and political blog. Send us a link to your video in the comments section or tweet it to @citizentube.

Steve Grove, Head of News & Politics, YouTube, and Sameer Padania for Witness

Miley Cyrus helps celebrate a year of service on YouTube

Ramya — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 13:32:00 +0000

We launched YouTube Video Volunteers last June at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service (NCVS) to help nonprofits who struggle with creating great video, engage the passionate YouTube community, and introduce the idea that the Internet can be a powerful force for volunteerism. One year later, the YouTube community has created over 500 videos for nonprofits working on a vast array of issues from health to human rights, animal welfare to the arts -- and these videos have received millions of views.

This month, we’re teaming up with a true YouTube veteran, Miley Cyrus, to celebrate the organizations that devote themselves to promoting service and volunteerism on the ground and online; organizations like our partner Service Nation, Miley’s own org Get Ur Good On, mentoring orgs like Big Brothers/Big Sisters and countless others. To find one that you’d like to make a video for, visit www.youtube.com/videovolunteers. Then submit it by June 23 for the chance to be featured on the YouTube homepage during this year’s National Conference on Volunteering and Service at the end of the month.

Here’s more from Miley about this round of Video Volunteers:

Thanks for contributing your time and video skills to making the world, and YouTube, a better place. Together, we can make sure nonprofits everywhere continue to be recognized for their amazing work.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched “Message in a Bottle.”

Watch the Gulf oil spill live on YouTube and submit your ideas on how to stop it

Ramya — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:12:00 +0000

Since the BP oil spill occurred in the Gulf of Mexico, over six million gallons of oil have poured into the water. Now you can see what’s happening firsthand on YouTube, through a live stream of the leak on PBS NewsHour’s YouTube channel. Today, BP will begin their “top kill” procedure, which will attempt to drill mud into the well to block the flowing oil. Thanks to the urging of Congress, you’ll be able to witness the entire process in real-time on YouTube.

Now that you can see what’s going on, PBS and YouTube want you to submit your best ideas, via Google Moderator, on how to stop this environmental catastrophe. PBS NewsHour will air some of the top YouTube submissions in their broadcast tomorrow evening and online:

Many of you have already come up with creative solutions on how to stop the leak or clean up the spill, and you’re using video to make these ideas come to life. Here are a few innovative examples:

Tune in to the live stream here, and if you have ideas you think BP should hear, submit them before 5 p.m. (ET) tomorrow. For information on the oil spill, including the latest imagery of the spill and information on how you can help, visit www.google.com/crisisresponse/oilspill.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched “Oil Removal - It’s as Easy as Hay.”

Diane von Furstenberg’s Favorite Trend for May: Helping Women Thrive

Ramya — Tue, 04 May 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Diane von Furstenberg is a legendary fashion designer, and she’s also a big believer in celebrating women. With Mother’s Day around the corner, we’re thrilled that she’s serving as the Video Volunteers guest curator for this month, and asking you to create videos for organizations that support women.

Every day on YouTube, we view women standing up for what they believe in and challenging inequality: from this Saudi Arabian woman driving a car as an act of protest; to Queen Rania of Jordan combating stereotypes of the Middle East. Now we want you to make your voice heard. Create a video about your favorite organization that supports women -- whether it promotes equal pay for equal work, helps women run for elected office, or furthers efforts to outlaw female genital mutilation -- and upload it to the Video Volunteers channel.

The top three videos will appear on the YouTube homepage at the end of the month, next to Diane von Furstenberg’s video for Vital Voices. Hear more from her about how you can get involved:

The deadline to submit your video is May 26, so check out www.youtube.com/videovolunteers to find an inspirational organization you can help. After all, service never goes out of style.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched “The Girl Effect.”

Make an ad. Spread the word. Go to Cannes. You have 48 hours.

Ramya — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 20:22:00 +0000

Last year, hundreds of young creatives took part in the inaugural YouTube-Cannes Young Lions 48 Hour Ad Contest, with two of them, Guy Dayan and Adeline Chew, winning a trip to Cannes to represent YouTube in the Young Lions Film Contest.

This week we’re launching the 2010 edition of the contest. The format’s pretty much the same: we’ll announce a brief from a well-known nonprofit at midnight on Friday, May 14 (GMT), and you’ll have just 48 hours to write, film, edit and upload your film to the Cannes Lions channel. You then have a week to get as many votes for your entry on the channel as possible, before a panel of senior creative directors will use the votes to inform their choice of two winners. Those two will get a fully-paid trip to the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival.

As this is the Cannes Young Lions, entrants need to be 18-28 years of age to take part, and -- of course -- very creative. If that sounds like you, head to the channel now and subscribe to keep informed. And remember to keep the weekend of May 15-16 free to create your ad. Good luck!

Tom Pursey, UK Product Marketing Manager, recently watched “Chemistry of Creme Eggs.”

Celebrating 40 Years of Earth Day

Ramya — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 07:01:00 +0000

On April 22, 1970, 22 million people participated in the first-ever Earth Day, which was designed to raise awareness about the environment and inspire citizens to take action to protect it.

Forty years later, Earth Day has become a global phenomenon. Today we’re celebrating its anniversary with a Video Volunteers homepage spotlight that features content from YouTube’s most creative climate crusaders about inspiring organizations. One of the spotlighted videos uses traffic signs as a metaphor for how we can limit carbon usage, and this video advocates for Save the Bay by explaining what would happen if a tidal wave of plastic bags washed up on San Francisco’s shore:

Didn’t have a chance to make a video but still want to volunteer to help the environment? You can hear from President Obama about why taking action to protect our planet is vital and then find service opportunities in your community here.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched "Greenwalking."

And the Nonprofit Video Awards go to…

Ramya — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 07:01:00 +0000

Today, YouTube and See3 Communications announced the winners of the YouTube Nonprofit Video Awards, a celebration of the best videos from organizations in the YouTube Nonprofit Program over the past year. The four victorious videos are spotlighted on the YouTube homepage today.

Over 750 videos were submitted to this year’s awards, ranging from quirky narratives about how life on another planet relates to equal rights on Earth to honest testimonials from young dancers. A judging panel of nonprofit and video experts narrowed the field down to sixteen finalists, of which four were selected by YouTube community voting. Over 17,000 votes were cast to determine the winners. Here’s a look at all of the finalist videos:

The four winners will receive a $2500 grant from the Case Foundation to continue their work, as well as be recognized by their peers at the Nonprofit Technology Conference, the largest gathering of its kind, in Atlanta today.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism, recently watched “Greenwash of the Week”

Al Gore + you(?) = Earth Day’s 40th celebration

Ramya — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 13:00:00 +0000

The success of the film An Inconvenient Truth had several outcomes: it moved the issue of climate change into the spotlight and forced average citizens to think about their consumption; it catapulted former U.S. Vice President Al Gore into the role of global climate champion; and it demonstrated that film has the power to promote social change.

In anticipation of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, we're building upon these results by partnering with Vice President Al Gore and his organization, the Alliance for Climate Protection, on our next round of Video Volunteers.

This month, as Video Volunteers curator, Gore is asking you to use film to do good by creating a short, inspiring video for your favorite climate change organization. The top three videos will appear on the YouTube homepage alongside a video from Gore himself as part of a very special Earth Day spotlight. Here he is with more details about the program and why it's imperative that you take action:

Earth Day is on April 22, so we're working with an abridged Video Volunteers timeline this month. All entries must be submitted by April 19 to be considered, so get your camera out today. And if you're a nonprofit organization working on issues related to climate change, this could be your chance to make a big impact on the YouTube homepage. You can post an opportunity for a Video Volunteer here.

Visit www.youtube.com/videovolunteers now to get started!

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched "Polio is Back in Guinea."

YouTube community and Hollywood team up to address global development

Ramya — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

The facts about the developing world are pretty staggering. Approximately 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water, and 2.6 billion lack basic sanitation. For every $1 in aid a developing country receives, over $25 is spent on debt repayment. Almost half the world – 3 billion people – live on less than $2.50 a day.

Earlier this month, Jeremy Piven challenged you to educate others about the issues facing the developing world and the organizations working hard to address these problems, by making a video and submitting it to YouTube's Video Volunteers program.

You responded with fervor. This round of Video Volunteers had one of the highest participation rates so far, and the videos submitted ranged from creative and quirky...

...to beautiful and solemn...

Today, you'll find the top three submissions on the YouTube homepage, alongside a video from Jeremy Piven and members of young Hollywood on behalf of the ONE Campaign .

Later this week, we'll kick off a new climate-change focused round of Video Volunteers with former Vice President and environmental leader Al Gore, so stay tuned for news about that and our special Earth Day homepage spotlight.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched "Padma Lakshmi Discusses Endometriosis Awareness Month."

Join Jeremy Piven’s “Video Volunteers” Entourage for Global Development

Ramya — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 01:52:00 +0000

Jeremy Piven is best known as the sharp-tongued Ari Gold on HBO’s Entourage, but today he’s taking a break from berating Vince and the boys to give the YouTube community a glimpse of his softer side by signing on as a Video Volunteers curator.

This month, YouTube, Piven and the ONE Campaign are asking you to make videos supporting a nonprofit working on an issue related to global development, such as extreme poverty, access to clean water and sanitation, and preventing disease. With International Women’s Day on March 8 and World Water Day on March 22, it’s an ideal time to tackle some of the problems crippling citizens in developing nations. Piven agrees:

Once you’ve created a video for a nonprofit of your choice dealing with global development, submit it to the gadget at www.youtube.com/videovolunteers. Remember: the video has to be about an organization, not just an issue. Piven and the ONE Campaign will pick their top three videos to go on the YouTube homepage at the end of the month.
Happy filming!

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched “Spread the Word to End the Word.”

YouTube, Drew Barrymore Select 2010 "HungerBytes" Winners

Ramya — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:50:00 +0000

For the second year in a row, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) asked activists on YouTube to make videos raising awareness about world hunger as part of their "Hungerbytes" competition. And once again, many creative entries came in. Nonprofits looking to run their own YouTube video campaign may want to take note of this effort as it effectively harnessed the imaginative minds of the community to raise awareness of an issue.

A judging panel including Drew Barrymore, actress and WFP Ambassador Against Hunger; Lance Vollard Senior Vice President of Publicity at Warner Brothers Pictures, and Nancy Roman from the WFP selected the finalists. One video used a food fight to show how citizens take meals for granted in the United States; another showed that in the time it takes to cook a microwavable meal (60 seconds) 10 children die of hunger; and this clip used a variety of voices and original music to walk us through our daily food consumption in the U.S. and how it compares to those who starve each day.

But it was filmmakers Carlos Antonio and Michel Sandoval of Mexico who took home the top prize for their film "Dreams," which demonstrates that people in different parts of the world have very different perspectives on hunger. One person's diet is another person's dinner:

Antonio and Sandoval will now travel to Guatemala with WFP to raise awareness for hunger in that country. In addition, 14-year-old John Beck from Rome won the "Under-18" category for his "Dinner Is Served" video, in which a white-gloved waiter dishes up a meal consisting of a compact emergency food ration. The juxtaposition of gourmet restaurant service and an emergency ration is striking:

You can learn more about the United Nations World Food Program, and how you can help, on the WFP's YouTube channel.

Steve Grove, Head of YouTube News & Politics, recently watched "Jerusalem: War in My Land."

Pop Star Jesse McCartney Headlines Today’s "Healthy" Video Volunteers Homepage

Ramya — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Our Video Volunteers homepage lineup today features videos about nonprofits tackling important health issues: artist Jesse McCartney thanks you for standing up to cancer; themike99 tells a personal story about the tie between mercury poisoning and kidney failure; BangPopLA champions Whole Child LA and their work to help kids with chronic pain; and themattieboosh offers this animated take on the importance of funding leukemia research:

We had a record-breaking number of nonprofits participate in this round of Video Volunteers. Fifty health-oriented organizations signed up to have a member of the YouTube community make a video for them, and while we are only able to showcase a handful on the homepage today, we hope that many more nonprofits will have videos made for them. We'll leave these opportunities from health orgs up for a few more days on the Video Volunteers channel, so if you didn't make a video, but are passionate about helping one of these organizations, please reach out as soon as you can.

Next week, we'll launch our "Global Development" round of Video Volunteers. It's an issue that encompasses a number of different subjects, like poverty, sanitation and the need for infrastructure, and there are a number of nonprofits doing work in this area, like the One Campaign, Plan International, One Million Lights, and the Playing for Change Foundation. We hope you'll make one of them a video.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched "Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation."

Saluting the Best Nonprofit Videos of the Year

Ramya — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:27:00 +0000

Over the past year, we've been surprised, entertained and inspired by the videos that nonprofit organizations have uploaded to YouTube; content featuring everything from unemployed porcupines to hospital workers shimmying in pink gloves. Some videos have urged the community to donate through call-to-action overlays (we've seen some nonprofits generate tens of thousands of dollars in a day), while others have "scared" citizens into doing good.

Today, we're teaming up with See3 Communications to present the DoGooder Nonprofit Video Awards and recognize those organizations that have used video to the greatest effect to create lasting social change in the past year:

One winner will be selected in each of the following categories: Best Small Organization Video, Best Medium Organization Video, Best Large Organization Video and Best Innovation in Video. A judging panel comprised of social media and nonprofit experts will narrow down the finalists, and public voting will determine the ultimate victors.

These winners will be recognized at the Nonprofit Technology Conference in Atlanta and on YouTube. In addition, each winning organization will receive a $2,500 grant from the Case Foundation and a custom Flip camera.

To enter, organizations must be a member of the YouTube Nonprofit Program, a program that offers free benefits to nonprofits in the United States, the United Kingdom, and, as of today, in Canada and Australia. To apply to the YouTube Nonprofit Program, please click here.

Nonprofits, you have until March 12 to enter. Visit the Nonprofit Video Awards channel now to get started!

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched "Australia Non-profit Program"

Stand Up for Your Favorite Health Organization

Ramya — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Today is World Cancer Day, which was created by the World Health Organization to raise awareness about one of the world's leading causes of death. And in an effort to raise awareness of not only cancer, but all major health issues, we're kicking off a health-specific round of Video Volunteers.

You know the drill: just pick a health organization that you care about (or find one on the Video Volunteers channel), make an under-three-minute video promoting their work, and the top three will be featured on the YouTube homepage at the end of the month. Our guest curator this month is musician Jesse McCartney, who took the time to talk about his favorite health org, Stand Up 2 Cancer, and why you should make a video for your health nonprofit of choice:

If you're passionate about raising money to buy malaria nets, want to increase awareness about AIDS/HIV or can help an organization by vlogging about life as a diabetic, we want to see your videos. Submit them at www.youtube.com/videovolunteers by February 23.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism, recently watched "Pet Adoption - Ditched."

A Celebration of the Arts on YouTube

Ramya — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 14:00:00 +0000

As a prelude to the Grammys tomorrow, we're highlighting the importance of the arts in society on the homepage today, with top user-created videos about arts organizations that make an impact.

Many of you accepted Dr. Phil's Video Volunteers challenge to demonstrate how arts nonprofits are changing your community for the better, and you sang, danced, vlogged and even tapped your appreciation for your charity of choice.

As Video Volunteers heads into its fifth round (we'll kick off February's installment on Monday with the issue of health, featuring guest curator Jesse McCartney), we'd love to know what issues you'd like to see in the future. Are there topics that are important to you that we haven't addressed? Famous philanthropic faces that you'd like to see as curators? Leave your suggestions in the comments below.

And if you're a health organization that needs help creating video, you can sign up to find a Video Volunteer here. You might even see your nonprofit's name in lights at the end of next month.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched "Follow the Money."

Forty-Eight Hours to Submit Your Question for the President

Ramya — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 03:31:00 +0000

On Monday afternoon, as a follow-up to his State of the Union address, President Obama will give a live interview to YouTube from the White House -- and every single question will come from you. You can submit your questions in video or in text, and you can vote on which questions you think should be asked on CitizenTube. Your votes will determine the top questions posed during the discussion with the President. The deadline for submission is Sunday night at 8 p.m. EST.

What makes a good question? That's entirely up to you. We would love to see as many video questions as possible, so if you can, record your question on camera and upload it to YouTube. Be sure to keep it under 20 seconds, and make sure the video and audio quality is crisp and clear. The Moderator platform allows for text questions, too - so if you don't have time to post a video, feel free to simply type your question. We'll use a mixture of both in the interview.

If you're considering what your question should be, but missed the President's State of the Union speech, here it is:

Don't be afraid to ask tough questions - this is your opportunity to have direct access to the President. Though we obviously won't get to each of the thousands of questions that have been submitted, you'll have a say in which questions are asked by voting on your favorites - so come back to CitizenTube and vote often.

Steve Grove, Head of News & Politics, recently watched "GOP Response to State of the Union"

Film Your Issue, Share it With Thought Leaders

Ramya — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:00:00 +0000

If you've ever wanted the chance to share your ideas about how to change the world with officials in the Obama Administration and filmmakers at Sundance, here it is.

We're bringing the Film Your Issue competition to YouTube this year as part of our Video for Change program. Film Your Issue is a contest for the next generation of global thinkers and social entrepreneurs (ages 14 to 24) to share innovative ideas for improving society. All you have to do to enter is create a three-minute video outlining a front-burner issue and proposing a solution to that issue, and submit it to the Film Your Issue channel. Learn more here:

Prizes include having your winning video shown to senior Obama administration officials in D.C., flying to L.A. for an awards show with Sony Pictures, a Student Pass to the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, and Apple products like a Macbook or iPod Touch. Winners will be selected by a VIP Jury, including Tom Brokaw, our own Chad Hurley, Yoko Ono and Nicholas Kristof, and by public voting on YouTube.

Visit www.youtube.com/filmyourissue to enter before April 19 and peruse past finalist videos, including last year's winner, which tackled Hurricane Katrina's aftermath:

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched "2010 State of the Union."

Your State of the Union

Ramya — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Every year, the President of the United States addresses a joint session of Congress to deliver his State of the Union address. Required by the U.S. Constitution, the address is the president's chance to take stock of the current condition of the United States and lay out his political agenda for the new year. Presidents have long used new technology to share their message directly with the American people. Calvin Coolidge was the first president to broadcast the State of the Union over the radio in 1923, and President Truman made history in 1947 when he became the first to deliver his address to a live television audience.

This year's State of the Union speech will also make history. It will be the first time that citizens will have the opportunity to ask follow-up questions during the speech -- and to hear the president's response to those questions. On Wednesday night at 9 p.m. ET, during our live broadcast of the State of the Union on Citizentube, we'll open up a Moderator series for you to submit your questions for the president in video or in text (if you have the time, we'd prefer video). Over the following few days, you'll be able to submit additional questions and vote on your favorites too. Then next week (we'll announce the exact timing soon), we'll bring some of your top-voted questions to the president in a YouTube interview from the White House, which we'll also broadcast live on Citizentube. As always, questions are subject to YouTube's Terms of Service.

Already, discussions on YouTube about the State of the Union have been lively. Tomorrow on our homepage, we'll spotlight the responses of four experts to your ideas on the State of the Union. Check out those clips in the lead-up to the speech, then tune in tomorrow night to ask the President your questions. We'll also feature the GOP response to the president's address, in what promises to be an engaging discussion on the direction of the country in 2010.

Steve Grove, Head of News and Politics, recently watched "One Year In, a Closer Look at the Obama Presidency."

Live Tonight: Top Artists Perform in "Hope for Haiti Now" Benefit Concert

Ramya — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:31:00 +0000

Over the past week, citizens and organizations from around the world have rallied around Haiti, offering tremendous aid for the relief effort currently underway. But even though tens of millions of dollars have been raised online via sites like YouTube, Haiti's road to recovery will be long, and more financial support is desperately needed.

That's why tonight, in partnership with a variety of media companies, we're live-streaming "Hope for Haiti Now," a benefit concert for earthquake relief. Hosted by George Clooney, Wyclef Jean and Anderson Cooper, the event will feature performances by Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Shakira, U2, Coldplay, Taylor Swift and many more.

The concert starts tonight at 8 p.m. ET on www.youtube.com/hopeforhaitinow, and it will be available to a global audience. Donations from the event will go to a number of different organizations, including the Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN World Food Program, Partners in Health, Yele Haiti and Oxfam. After the show, you can continue to donate money and get the latest information coming out of Haiti at our Crisis Response landing page.

Steve Grove, Head of News and Politics, recently watched "Solidarity with Haiti, a worldwide response."

Gripping Videos, Calls for Help, Dominate YouTube in Wake of Haitian Tragedy

Ramya — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 22:39:00 +0000

In the three days since the 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti, we've continued to see hundreds of thousands of people using YouTube to share information and donate money to help those suffering in one of the worst tragedies in recent memory. Since Tuesday, the American Red Cross has been featured on our homepage, collecting donations through videos like this one, which encourages people to give via a Google Checkout link next to the video. The International Red Cross just posted an update to YouTube (embedded below), detailing the situation on the ground. Their message? Goods are on the way, but more money is needed. Oxfam, Concern Worldwide and UNICEF have uploaded similar pleas.

Others have come to YouTube with personal appeals. First Lady Michelle Obama, Jimmy Buffett and Lenny Kravitz are just a few of the figures who are rallying support on YouTube. And people on the ground continue to put a very personal face on the tragedy, filming their experiences with shaky hand-held cameras.

Journalists are also uploading videos that bear witness to the devastation. Reporters like Dave Price at CBS and Rich Matthews of the AP are uploading individual vlogs from the streets of Port-au-Prince, and clips like this one from the AP give a bird's eye view of the damage (warning: this is difficult to watch):

On the ground, videos like this one give us just a glimpse into what life is like right now for Haitian citizens -- through the eyes of a person struggling to make sense of the destruction:

We're keeping CitizenTube updated with the latest clips and are contributing videos to Google's Earthquake Relief landing page as well. Though it could never match the resolve of Haitian citizens struggling to survive in the streets of Port-au-Prince and elsewhere, the outpouring of support on YouTube and elsewhere is encouraging in this time of great crisis.

Steve Grove, Head of News and Politics, recently watched "Haiti: Essential staff and good are on their way."

YouTube: No Place for Bullies

Ramya — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:00:00 +0000

OceanKing97 is a 15-year-old using video to raise awareness about the plight of dolphins. His videos are earnest...and a little awkward (but who wasn't at 15, right?). Unfortunately, some people have picked up on his awkwardness and have posted negative, even hateful, comments on his videos.

Ever seen a situation like this, or been involved in one yourself? We thought we'd take a moment to share a few tips on what you can do if people post negative comments on your YouTube videos.

1. Delete harsh comments and think about blocking the user who posted them so they can't view your other videos or leave more comments. It's easy -- just use our Help & Safety Tool.

2. Report comments that insult your race, gender or a disability you might have by clicking on the "hate speech" button.

3. If specific threats are made against you and you feel unsafe (for example, if the person might know personal information about you like your name and location), tell your parents or teacher and consider whether you should call 911.

4. Avoid making negative comments and encourage your friends to keep their comments respectful too.

Thankfully, OceanKing97 isn't a real user -- he was invented by the National Crime Prevention Council to help teach YouTube users about cyberbullying. Check out his video and do your part to keep YouTube safe and fun for everyone.

Victoria Grand, Head of Community Policy, recently watched "Haiti at Risk"

In Aftermath of Haiti Earthquake, Reports and Donation Appeals Flood YouTube

Ramya — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:16:00 +0000

As reports of unimaginable devastation continue to come out of Haiti in the wake of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck yesterday, footage of the disaster has been streaming onto YouTube, along with calls for help from nonprofit and aid organizations working on the ground. Haiti's president Rene Preval told the Miami Herald that the death toll is likely in the thousands, and images of collapsed buildings, a dilapidated presidential palace, and enormous piles of rubble in the streets bear witness to a truly catastrophic earthquake -- the worst in 200 years in the region.

We're keeping a running playlist of the video footage coming out of Haiti on Citizentube; there's a broad collection of citizen reports and news wire clips. We're also promoting videos from nonprofits who can help. The American Red Cross is asking for donations via a call-to-action overlay in this video, and Oxfam is using annotations in this one to direct you to their donation site:

As personal stories of the victims of the earthquake continue to pour in, our thoughts go out to all Haitians in this time of great need. We'll continue to update Citizentube with footage from the ground as events progress.

Steve Grove, Head of News & Politics, recently watched "Haiti Earthquake Aftermath."

Wanted: Creative Content to Support the Arts on YouTube

Ramya — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:20:00 +0000

With awards shows like the Golden Globes, Grammys and Oscars just around the corner, it will soon be the season to celebrate some of the world's most high-profile artistic achievements. But on YouTube, many of you celebrate the arts every day -- for example, you might favorite a video that features a grade-school chorus, watch a film in the Screening Room, or upload a video of your recent dance performance.

At the same time, organizations that support the arts -- from museums to orchestras, ballet companies to musical education programs -- are sorely in need of funding and promotion. That's where you can help. YouTube Video Volunteers and guest curator Dr. Phil want you to create a video that shines the spotlight on an organization that advances the arts in your community or on the national stage. The top three video creators will see their name in lights on the YouTube homepage at the end of the month. Watch this video to learn more and hear how Dr. Phil is supporting the arts himself:

We hope you'll use your artistic talents to help your favorite organization. You could write a song in favor of your city's modern art museum or make a short film about a nonprofit that supports music in schools. Use your creativity to make sure that the arts continue to flourish.

Submissions are due on January 23 and can be entered at www.youtube.com/videovolunteers.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched "Good Transparency: Cost of Food."

Shining a Light on Human Rights Abuses Through Film

Ramya — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 14:00:00 +0000

From the Iran protests to the uprising of monks in Burma, YouTube has become a place where citizens can expose human rights violations and promote free expression. This month, we were excited to see many of you help the organizations that regularly combat injustice and abuse around the world, by creating a video for one of them through Video Volunteers.

Spurred by Morgan Freeman's heartfelt call-out video and International Human Rights Day, which occurred earlier this month, you submitted videos on behalf of nonprofits working on issues like conflict minerals, the situation in Darfur and sex trafficking:

Today, the top three selections will appear on the YouTube homepage to raise awareness of several pressing human rights issues. We're also featuring Morgan Freeman's "volunteer" video for Amnesty International, which uses claymation to discuss the power of words in fighting injustice:

We'll be back with another round of Video Volunteers in January and our spotlight issue will be the arts, so if you're an arts organization who would like a volunteer to create a video for you, please fill out this form and your opportunity will be posted to the Video Volunteers channel.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism, recently watched "Maya Lin: Unchopping a Tree."

The Davos Debates 2010: Your Pitch To The World

Ramya — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

This year’s iteration of The Davos Debates is up and running, offering one YouTube user the opportunity to attend this year’s World Economic Forum meeting in Davos to put forward the cause they are most passionate about at a specially convened panel.

Our candidate will get the opportunity to engage and debate with the world’s leaders and take the opportunity that Davos offers to elevate the cause that is closest to their heart. As you can imagine: we’re looking for someone a bit special. Someone like you? See below for more details:

What sort of person are we looking for?

The winner of the Davos Debates will be someone with knowledge and passion for a public cause, who can demonstrate they're able to interact with the world's leaders. We want to hear real stories from people working on local issues, with a view to offering the opportunity to make these concerns global. Maybe it's fighting for human rights, or the environment, or against poverty? Maybe it's world fishing, education, or political freedoms? Whatever it is, we're looking someone who isn't afraid to get their voice heard, and give them the chance to be at Davos.

How does it work?

From today until the January 4, we're asking YouTube users to submit their video entries. Five finalists will be selected by a judging panel comprised of Paolo Coelho, Arianna Huffington and Muhammad Yunus. These finalist videos will then go to public vote on January 8, with a winner announced on the January 19.

Beyond that, and the information at the World Economic Forum channel, it's up to you. So get filming, rally some support and Make Your Pitch To The World.

Steve Grove, News & Politics, recently watched “CNN/YouTube Climate Debate"

A Live Stream to Save Lives: Alicia Keys and YouTube Team Up to Fight AIDS

Ramya — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:00:00 +0000

It's no secret that AIDS is one of the deadliest diseases facing our world today. Since the beginning of the epidemic, almost 60 million people have been infected with HIV and 25 million people have died of HIV-related causes. But did you know that some of those hardest hit by AIDS are children? The disease has killed over 2 million children, and in sub-Saharan Africa it has orphaned close to 15 million.

That's why, today, on World AIDS Day, we're partnering with Alicia Keys and her organization, Keep a Child Alive, to present a live-streamed benefit concert at 8 p.m. (ET). We're also encouraging everyone to donate $5 to provide the life-saving medication, support, and orphan care to keep these children alive. Learn more from Alicia herself about this important effort:

You can make a difference today. Please tune in here at 8 p.m (ET) to watch Alicia Keys and donate to help save the lives of millions of children living with HIV/AIDS.

Michele Flannery, Music Manager, and Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits Manager, recently watched "The Lazarus Effect."

Join Morgan Freeman to Bring Human Rights Work to Light

Ramya — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 08:01:00 +0000

YouTube can be a powerful tool championing the rights of individuals and promoting free expression. This month, during International Human Rights Day, we're partnering with Morgan Freeman and Amnesty International to encourage you to become advocates for equality and justice, through Video Volunteers.

Here's how you can help. Create a video about the nonprofit of your choice working on a human rights issue that you care about -- it could be genocide, human trafficking, refugee protection, gender equality or something else -- and submit it to the Video Volunteers channel by December 21. Amnesty International and Freeman, who plays legendary crusader Nelson Mandela in the upcoming movie Invictus, will select three videos to appear on the YouTube homepage at the end of the month. Hear more from Morgan about the importance of taking up this cause:

This is your chance to help citizens around the world who often can't help themselves and to bring the vital work of human rights organizations to light. Join Morgan Freeman to protect the rights of these individuals at www.youtube.com/videovolunteers.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently favorited "To Protect & Serve: Police Brutality in India."

YouTube Community Gives Thanks to Those That Help the Hungry

Ramya — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:00:00 +0000

Earlier this month, as part of YouTube Video Volunteers, we asked you to create a short video for the nonprofit organization of your choice tackling the issue of hunger in America. Today, we're featuring the top three submissions, chosen by our partner Feeding America and curator David Arquette, on the YouTube homepage in honor of Thanksgiving, to recognize the important work that is being done to feed those in need.

We were surprised and excited by the range of videos submitted. For example, partner bigedude33 penned an original song about the Food Bank of Central New York, while HavilahTower lent her voice to the Capital Area Food Bank in Texas:

Filmmakers like CassieJaye and nsmith345 powerfully depicted the faces of American citizens being helped by their local food pantries, while vlogger Shawn Ahmed went inside the L.A. Regional Food Bank to demonstrate exactly how they provide support to the Los Angeles community:

To view all Video Volunteer submissions for this month, please visit www.youtube.com/videovolunteers. And be sure to check the channel again next week when we kick off another Video Volunteers round, focusing on human rights, with curator Morgan Freeman.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism, recently watched "Charter for Compassion"

YouTube Salutes Vets and Their Supporters

Ramya — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Today, we're shining the spotlight on the men and women who have bravely served -- and are presently serving -- in all branches of the U.S. military. Video has become a vital tool for current soldiers who are trying to communicate their wartime experience to the public and for older veterans who want to share their stories from past battles, like Lewis Bennett, the youngest member of the 84th District in World War II:

In addition, on the homepage, we're featuring content from those institutions and organizations that provide much-needed support to veterans. For example, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America has created a social network specifically for veterans and their families, while UCLA provides an adaptive sports therapy program for injured soldiers from the U.S. Army, including a regiment of rock climbing, wheelchair basketball, and table tennis. Here's a preview:

To see more video content from soldiers and veterans, please visit www.youtube.com/veterans.

Ramya Raghavan, YouTube Nonprofits & Activism, recently watched "Interview: Army Sgt. Valdez"

Help the Hungry This Thanksgiving

Ramya — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:00:00 +0000

On World Food Day, we asked you to donate to feed the billion hungry people in the world and your response was incredible: over 140,000 children got meals because of you. Thank you.

Now, we're looking at the facts close to home: one in eight Americans don't have enough food to eat, a fact that becomes even harder to digest at this time of year, as we prepare for Thanksgiving, a celebration of food and family.

Through Video Volunteers, we're hoping you can make a video for any nonprofit tackling the issue of hunger in America. You could create a video profiling the work your local food bank is doing or even volunteer to serve a meal at a shelter and record your experience. Hear more from David Arquette, our guest curator for this month's edition of Video Volunteers:

The top three videos submitted on the YouTube Video Volunteers channel will be featured on the YouTube homepage around Thanksgiving, alongside a video from our partner in this effort, Feeding America. Videos must be submitted by November 21 for consideration.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism, recently favorited "Raising Malawi with Madonna."

Today, Animals Take Center Stage on the Homepage

Ramya — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Earlier this month, through the YouTube Video Volunteers program, we asked you to create an amazing video on behalf of your favorite animal welfare organization and submit it for the chance to be featured on our homepage.

Over 100 users submitted videos about their animal org of choice. User mordeth13 talked about the plight of stray dogs in Taiwan, while partner ZackScott discussed how FoundAnimals is helping animals in the United States:

On Saturday, you voted on which videos you liked the best, and today the top three are featured on the homepage alongside a video for the Humane Society from actor Ben Stein. If you'd like to view all of the videos that were submitted, you can visit the Video Volunteers channel and click "Gallery."

Didn't have a chance to make a video for this month's round? Don't worry. We'll be kicking off our next installment of Video Volunteers on November 1, focusing on hunger in America.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism, recently watched "In Regards to Defenders of Wildlife."

Hollywood Honors Top "Come Clean 4 Congo" Video

Ramya — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Tonight at the Hollywood Film Festival's Human Rights Symposium, Matt Smith will accept his award for submitting the winning video to YouTube's Video for Change program, "Come Clean 4 Congo," in partnership with the Enough Project. Back in May, we asked you to make videos demonstrating the connection between the "conflict minerals" used in cell phones and the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Matt's winning video, voted #1 by the YouTube community, used spoken word to take a far-away, complex issue and make it understandable and compelling:

To say things aren't going well in the Congo would be an understatement. It is the deadliest conflict since World War II, and militias continue to use rape as a weapon of terror. The UN reports that in the first half of 2009, more than 5,000 women have been raped in the South Kivu province of the Congo. Al Jazeera News reports on the conflict from a clinic in the Congo, where many of the victims are being treated:

The Enough Project saw the connection between the minerals that are mined in the Congo and used in our cell phones, and wanted to use that connection to bring this issue home to people living in the U.S. Thanks too to all the YouTube users who made videos to raise awareness of this issue. If you'd like to learn more about what you can do to help, go to the Enough Project's website.

And if you're in the LA area and want to register to attend the Human Rights Symposium, sign up here.

Steve Grove, Head of News, Politics & Nonprofits, recently watched "Ask a Nobel Laureate, John Mather."

Thanks, YouTube! 140,000 Children Have Lunch Because of You

Ramya — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:16:00 +0000

Last Friday, on World Food Day, we asked you, the online billion, to turn your YouTube views into action to feed the billion hungry people in the world.

You blew us away with your response, collectively donating enough money to the United Nations World Food Program through this video to give school lunch to close to 140,000 children. And your donations are still coming in.

Some of you donated $1, others donated $50. Some even created video responses encouraging others to give. The WFP is so thrilled with your efforts that their Executive Director Josette Sheeran recorded this special thank you message to the YouTube community:

Added Pierre Guillaume Wielezynski, WFP's Head of Online Communications, "It is heartening to see the YouTube community step up and help. We often forget about the billion people who go to bed hungry. If every web user does a little, we can achieve a lot." YouTube user angelinthesky26 echoed this sentiment, commenting "we can all make a difference in our own simple way."

So, thank you YouTube, for making a difference. We're incredibly inspired by you.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism, recently watched "Human Rescue Plan/Sean Penn"

Can a Billion Views Help a Billion People?

Ramya — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:17:00 +0000

Last week, we announced that YouTube serves over one billion video views per day. It's a pretty staggering number, right? That's also the number of people in the world who don't have enough food to eat. According to the UN World Food Program, for the first time in history, there are over 1 billion hungry people on Earth -- that's one in seven humans.

Today, on World Food Day, the World Food Program (WFP) is showing how you, the estimated one billion internet users, can help the one billion people who live in hunger:

The WFP isn't alone in their efforts. Nonprofit Action Against Hunger is calling on Al Gore to create a video about hunger as he did for climate change with An Inconvenient Truth (after all, who better to mobilize the internet community than the man who invented it?) And singer Christina Aguilera is lending her voice to the cause with this video:

So internet people, we're challenging you to make a difference today. Just think...if every person donated $1 to feed the hungry each time they viewed a YouTube video, we'd be a lot closer to a hunger-free world.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism. This blog is cross-posted on the Huffington Post.

Wanted: Puppy and Kitty Videos for Good

Ramya — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:48:00 +0000

Like many of you, actor Ben Stein cares deeply about animals (especially his dog Puppy Wuppy). That's why, with World Animal Day right around the corner, Ben is calling on you (and your pet, if you like) to make a video on behalf of your favorite animal welfare organization, as part of YouTube's Video Volunteers program.

The top three videos will appear on the YouTube homepage, next to Ben's video about the Humane Society, as part of a special spotlight on animal welfare at the end of the month. Here's Ben with more details:

This is just the beginning: each month, we'll feature a different relevant issue on the Video Volunteers channel with a new guest curator, and you could have the opportunity to showcase your work (and favorite org) to a huge audience.

For this month, you have until October 22 at midnight PT to submit your video to www.youtube.com/videovolunteers, so grab your camera and use it to make a difference! Then make sure to vote on October 24 for the videos you'd most like to see featured on the homepage.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched "Jack Black Funding Women's Cancer Research."

Join World Leaders on the Road to Copenhagen

Ramya — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:07:00 +0000

In December, world leaders will meet in Copenhagen to discuss a global agreement on climate change as part of the United Nations’ Climate Change Convention (often referred to as COP15). The goal of the meeting is to reduce global warming emissions and ultimately chart a course that avoids the most severe impacts of climate change.

The road to Copenhagen begins now, as heads of state flock to the United Nations in hopes of laying the groundwork for COP15. That's why today, with the Danish government, we're launching the YouTube COP15 channel, where you can you can raise your thoughts and questions on climate change through an initiative called "Raise Your Voice."

We know that you've never been afraid to make your opinions heard on this important issue, from uploading footage of road trips to halt climate change in India to creating humorous educational videos about global warming:

Now here's your chance to submit your most pressing questions about climate change to world leaders through YouTube. All approved entries will be broadcast on screens around COP15 in December and rated by viewers of the channel. The top-rated entries will be put in front of a panel of experts at an interactive debate that will be globally aired by YouTube/CNN International. Two winners will also receive a trip to Copenhagen to be present at the debate.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism, recently watched "Facing the Floods"

Extending the Olive Branch on YouTube

Ramya — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:59:00 +0000

Today, in honor of the International Day of Peace, a UN-recognized global day of nonviolence and ceasefire, we're turning up the volume on this important issue by featuring peace-related film, music, and activism on the site.

In the Screening Room, we're running "The Day After Peace," an award-winning documentary that shows how Peace Day was created. See the trailer here, then head over to www.youtube.com/screeningroom to see the full-length feature:

YouTube users have also been making peace a priority by creating videos that inspire others to make the world a better place. You can take a spin through the entries to the "My Take on Peace" contest, which features content from celebs like Jude Law, Lenny Kravitz and Alanis Morissette, hear the moving story of the Bah twins whose experience as refugees has fueled their quest for non-violence, or find out "how to create peace" from user wickydkewl, a disciple of the "Free Hugs" movement:

How are you creating peace in your community? Submit your video here for the chance to win an HD camera, or leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched "Banner Deployed at Niagara Falls."

If Only Every Homework Assignment Had Prizes Like This…

Ramya — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:33:00 +0000

As a new school year unfolds, here's an assignment for America's students from the U.S. Department of Education and YouTube: in two minutes or less, make a video showing the nation and the world how education will help you achieve your dreams, and upload it to the submission platform on the Department of Education's YouTube channel.

The good news is that there are no failing grades and the top three submissions, as voted by the YouTube community, will each be issued a $1,000 prize by the DOE. Learn more about the "I Am What I Learn" video contest from Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education:

The contest is open to U.S. middle, high school, college and post-grad students, ages 13 and up, and the deadline to submit is October 20. For complete rules and FAQs, please visit www.ed.gov/iamwhatilearn.

Ramya Raghavan, News and Politics, recently watched "Media Multitaskers Pay Mental Price."

First Round of Democracy Definers Find Fame – Will You?

Ramya — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:13:00 +0000

Today is the International Day of Democracy and what better way to celebrate than to announce the second round of the Democracy Video Challenge, a partnership between YouTube, the State Department, and several public and private partners who want you to fill in the blank in this sentence: "Democracy is..."

Last year, over 900 videos were submitted from over 95 countries and the six winners are currently in the United States, touring film studios, the United Nations, and the State Department as part of their two-week, all-expenses-paid trip to the U.S. This morning, they appeared on the Today Show with Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, Judith McHale:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

The second Democracy Video Challenge starts today, and you can learn more about it on the State Department's YouTube channel. If you're a filmmaker, a democracy advocate, or just someone who has an idea about what democracy means, head over to the State Department's channel and get to work completing the phrase “Democracy is…”

Just like last year, six regional winners will be selected by the public through online voting, and they'll receive an all-expenses paid trip to the United States that includes screenings of their videos in New York, Hollywood and Washington; meetings with film directors, public officials and democracy advocates from non-governmental organizations; and time on film and TV sets.

Learn more on the Democracy Video Challenge YouTube channel or on the State Department's website.

Steve Grove, News & Politics, recently watched, "MTV VMAs Remix: Kanye West Interrupts Obama's Speech."

The Facebook Challenge: Day 46

Ramya — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:59:00 +0000

There's still technically some time for us to slink past Vin Diesel, Megan Fox, Will Smith, Lady Gaga and Adam Sandler in the race for the most Facebook fans, but with just 14 days left, we'll admit it's not looking good (though, Sandler, can you feel our hot breath on your neck?!). We've gained over 500K fans since announcing the challenge; thanks to each and every one of you who humored our chest-thumping and joined our Facebook group.

As realists, we'll start nibbling that humble pie we said we'd eat and begin planning how some good can come from this. So screw the celebs: we're going to let our loyal Facebook followers determine which charities get featured in an upcoming spotlight celebrating this challenge. On our Facebook page, you'll find a poll listing 10 nonprofits with great videos on YouTube, some of which you suggested in an earlier blog post. The four nonprofits with the most votes will be featured on the homepage on Sept. 28. It will be our first-ever spotlight determined by our Facebook fans and we hope you'll be a part of it. Click here to vote.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently favorited "President Clinton Wants You to Submit a Question."

Looking Back on 9/11 in Remembrance and Service

Ramya — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:19:00 +0000

Today, in honor of 9/11, many Americans are using YouTube to share their stories and forge connections with fellow citizens. Some, like this user, are hoping to create community by uploading their experiences from the day, and encouraging fellow YouTube users to do the same. Others are speaking out in remembrance of loved ones they lost eight years ago:

At the same time, other citizens are choosing to commemorate 9/11 through service. Today marks the first official "9-11 Day of Service," a nationally-recognized event that aims to capture the sense of unity and compassion among Americans that followed September 11, 2001. Learn more about the initiative here:

Tens of thousands of volunteers are expected to turn out to paint and refurbish homes, run food drives, improve schools, reclaim neighborhoods, and support and honor veterans and first responders as part of the Day of Service. To learn more about the effort, click here or to find a service event near you, please visit www.allforgood.org.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism, recently watched "102 Minutes That Changed America"

How Do We Build Better Schools? Ask the Students

Ramya — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 05:44:00 +0000

Okay, YouTube -- it's time to trade in those water balloons for some #2 pencils. A new school year is upon us!

Thankfully, an organization called Architecture for Humanity (AFH) is trying to make the idea of heading back to school a bit more palatable. Earlier this year, they launched a competition for architects to design a "classroom of the future" and address the challenges schools face in trying to provide smart, safe and sustainable learning spaces.

A large number of entrants used YouTube to convey student input on their designs. This mashup shows how youth from schools around the world were involved in the planning process. Students also learned how to use various building tools through a YouTube series sponsored by AFH. In this video, students are taught to do modeling using Google Sketchup:

Architecture for Humanity had over 1,000 teams from 65 countries participate in the challenge and today they announced the winner, who will receive up to $50,000 to build or upgrade a classroom. Here's a video about the winning design from the Teton Valley Community School:

Interesting features of the Teton Valley project include a building that is heated and cooled geo-thermally, a greenhouse, and an outdoor area for each grade level.

What features do you think are essential to the classroom of the future? Leave your ideas in the comments below.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism, recently watched "Jazz Guitar Lesson."

Catch Latest L.A. Fire Footage on YouTube

Ramya — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:25:00 +0000

As fires continue to spread through the hills of Los Angeles and thousands are forced to evacuate the area, citizens are turning to YouTube to post footage of the blaze. For example, in this video, you can clearly see the flames over San Gabriel, while this one uses a time-lapse technique to show just how much smoke is being emitted into the air:

To support his footage, YouTube user cagwa writes in his video description: "Getting very hard to breathe already and it's going to be 104[F] today. The burning smell is extremely strong. Had to close all the windows at 7 a.m."

Other users are capturing the work of firefighters who are valiantly trying to put out the flames. This footage shows a Los Angeles Fire Department helicopter refilling in the Verdugo mountains while fighting the fire in La Canada:

More content is being uploaded every hour -- we'll compile it and keep you posted on our CitizenTube channel.

Ramya Raghavan, News & Politics, is currently watching "Fire in La Crescenta."

Vote on the No. 1 Video Vaccine

Ramya — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 15:00:00 +0000

A month ago, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Katherine Sebelius put out a call asking you to raise awareness about how citizens can steel themselves against the H1N1 (aka, "swine flu") virus. Today, the HHS announced the 10 best citizen-created PSAs -- and you get to vote on the winner.

Take a look at the finalists' videos on the HHS YouTube channel or spin through this playlist:

Have your say about which ad you think is most effective in increasing knowledge and prevention of H1N1. The winner will receive $2500 and have his/her PSA aired on live television. Voting ends at midnight on September 8.

Ramya Raghavan, YouTube News & Politics, recently watched "Ask the Chairman: A Virtual Townhall."

Join Jude Law and Speak Your Peace on September 21

Ramya — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 04:32:00 +0000

Last year, in honor of Peace Day -- a United Nations-sanctioned day of global nonviolence and ceasefire held on September 21 -- a nonprofit called Peace One Day helped persuade Taliban forces to lay down their arms for the day, making it possible for 1.6 million Afghani children to be immunized against polio.

This year, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the effort to make peace a reality, YouTube is partnering with Peace One Day and actor Jude Law to spread the message of Peace Day to an even wider audience through the "My Take on Peace" contest. All you have to do to participate is upload a video to www.youtube.com/peaceoneday telling the world what you'll do to create peace on September 21. The winner will receive a new HD camera and participate in a workshop with award-winning filmmaker Jeremy Gilley. Find out more about the program from Jude Law, here:

You have already stood up for peace in a variety of different ways: by performing songs that entertain and inspire us, by making us laugh while making us think, and by creating homemade films that have mobilized thousands of others. Your actions don't need to be revolutionary, just heartfelt and creative.

The deadline to submit your video is September 30, but entries submitted before September 21 will have the opportunity to be showcased on YouTube and in the annual Peace One Day Music Concert, which, last year, was viewed by a television audience of more than 250 million people.

Upload your video now to www.youtube.com/peaceoneday and show us how you're promoting peace and changing lives.

Ramya Raghavan, YouTube Nonprofits & Activism, recently watched "Boyfriend Story - Pressure Pic Problem."

Congress Responds as Health Care Heats Up on YouTube

Ramya — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Congress may be in recess, but that doesn't mean its members are taking a vacation. For the past few weeks, elected officials from both sides of the aisle have been fanning out across the country to speak to their constituents about the issue on everyone's minds: health care. In turn, citizens are more engaged than ever before and are using YouTube to voice their discontent or approval of the White House's proposed plan for reform.

Some are opting to sound off about the issue in the privacy of their homes, but many more are participating in public protests and rallies to spread their message, then uploading this footage to YouTube. For example, this footage of a town hall with Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA), uploaded this week, has received a remarkable amount of attention.

In the wake of these protests, some members of Congress have chosen to take their townhalls online, using YouTube as a direct line to their constituents. In this video, posted yesterday, Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY) answers questions from members of his district about health care. Israel isn't the only one: Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), and President Obama have all used YouTube to find the citizen pulse on the issue.

And on Wednesday, we asked you to submit your questions to Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH) using Google Moderator. Not surprisingly, the majority of questions you asked were centered around health care. Congressman Latta responds to the top-rated questions, including those about the public option and the state of Medicare, in this interview:

Want to engage with your Representative on YouTube? Find them by visiting the YouTube House Hub or Senate Hub.

Ramya Raghavan, YouTube News & Politics, recently watched "Puppy Theft Caught on Tape"

Couldn’t Make It to a Town Hall? It’s Coming to You

Ramya — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:00:00 +0000

Over the past few weeks, we've seen citizens using YouTube to make their voices heard about health care and to amplify their interactions with members of Congress. In light of this trend, we're reviving our Representative of the Week program -- but with a slightly different twist.

The latest Rep of the Week is Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH), a co-chair of the GOP New Media caucus who's used his YouTube channel to speak out against the White House's health care proposal. But instead of the Congressman posing a question to you and asking you to respond, as per past Reps of the Week, he wants you to ask him questions about the issues that are important to you. Congressman Latta plans to respond to the top-rated questions in an in-person interview tomorrow:

You only have 24 hours to submit your question about any issue through Google Moderator and to vote on your favorite questions from others, so get started here. Then, check back tomorrow to see how Congressman Latta responds.

Steve Grove, YouTube News & Politics, recently watched "Global News - Illegal Duck Hunters Caught."