This 2007 Today Tonight report details the stratospheric rise of YouTube, two years after launch. Then valued at $1.65 billion, YouTube was already seen as one of the most influential platforms on the Internet.

A capsule of early YouTube, the clip shows how low-key skits, performances, animal videos and unusual snapshots of life reigned. Reflecting the platform's newness, the segment takes an educational approach to the site's minute features. Reporter Andrew Bourke recaps the top five videos, which are a nostalgic cross-section of YouTube before its sophisticated ecosystem of influencers and branded channels. From Smosh singing the Pokemon theme song to Sydneysider Juan Mann's Free Hugs Campaign, many of these videos are still remembered today.

The report also reflects the relatively unregulated nature of YouTube in its early days. Mentions of radical propaganda and a leaked celebrity sex tape echo future concerns over video-sharing sites. Otherwise, Today Tonight takes an optimistic approach to YouTube and social networking sites like MySpace. Reflecting the mood of the 2000s, these online platforms were characterised as autonomous hubs that fostered community and made it easier to meet people beyond going to nightclubs and bars.