Is YouTube really shutting down?

Today, YouTube has become one of the most visited web sites. But reports are doing the rounds that YouTube is going to shut down. It is hard to predict if this is an April Fool’s prank played by Google or YouTube is indeed shutting down.

YouTube has been catering to various audiences across the world for almost eight years now. This sudden announcement has taken many YouTube viewers by surprise. Reports are also claiming that the video web site would remain shut for full 10 years. That is too long a period in the world of technology and internet, almost an era.

The announcement from Google had come on Sunday – one day prior to All Fool’s Day. Google said that YouTube was supposed to ‘live’ only for eight years. It was the time to find some of the best videos on the web. Was it the end of the message? Well, no.

There was something more. The message also said that the site would be offline when the day comes to an end. In the 10 years, they will be reviewing all the submissions. After a gap of 10 years, the best videos will be announced in 2023.

YouTube was purchased by Google around seven years back for a price of $1.65 billion, while almost 1 billion people visit the site each month.

It remains to be seen if Google comes out with some sort of announcement claiming that it was just a prank played on the occasion of April Fool’s Day.