When technology catches up, I think Youtube or something like it should open up completely. Perhaps I should say "as few restrictions as possible", as copyright enforcement is always necessary, and there are a few things that really don't need to be perpetuated.

Where future technology should help is in advanced image recognition, OCR and language processing. This is all 5-10 years away at worst. Google can analyze the videos and generate a transcript of speech/song with a "fingerprint" of the images shown. Combine that data with information from tags, comments, community feedback and Google's own search algorithms and they can implement a near flawless semantic content description system.

Then they can implement the following:
1. Local rating standards for each locale. Each country has a committee that rates film and TV as being age appropriate. These can be adapted for each country youtube has a presence in.

2. A default "safe" Youtube that only shows all-ages videos that generate no controversy. To see "unsafe" videos, one must log in (with their Google Account) and "unlock" additional content through "Filtering preferences." Nothing would be censored but the absolute worst videos. Everything else is just buried. Filtering should be based on anything, especially keywords, but people should be allowed to block general categories of content. For example, I would choose to allow nudity but not explicit sex. Or my kids can only view G and PG-rated content without my permission.** Community feedback could help refine filtering as well, and one could even appoint community moderators for certain subject areas.

3. A contextual advertising platform, allowing for relevant advertising in and around videos. Yes, this includes commercials, but few and far between. Adwords and Adsense for videos could pump a lot more money into Google's pockets.

4. Copyright protection and revenue sharing for individuals and corporations, thus making Google Checkout useful as that's how you get your royalties. eBay/Paypal will likely sue as this would be anticompetitive, allowing them inclusion, but I'm betting that Google will advertise Checkout as the primary way to receive money from your Youtube Director's account. This may bring Viacom back, if they didn't run off and start their OWN video site.

5. Integration with whatever magical social networking project Niniane Wang and friends are going to launch.

--JM

Hi J.
I am the founder of Trendirama.com, a community of online amateur writers. We write about the future of everything. I would like to invite you to write an article on our website, perhaps based on what you are mentioning here. Maybe you can write "The future of Video Services"? It is up to you, you choose the subject.
You can even re-use some of what you've written here, in the last part of the article, "your view and comments". That would save you time and still be interesting for readers.
Look forward to hearing from you

Best regards
Javier Marti
www.trendirama.com

[URL unlinked – Tony]