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A video-sharing site is an online service where people can upload videos and make them available for others to view or share. Such services may also include discovery tools, comments, and social connections. YouTube and Dailymotion are examples.
What makes a site a video-sharing site?
The defining feature is that users can upload video and share it through the service. A terminology entry from the Office québécois de la langue française describes a video-sharing platform as a web platform for hosting, broadcasting, and sharing users’ videos; it also identifies “video sharing site” as an English equivalent. OQLF terminology entry
Viewing and discovery are often part of the experience, as are features such as comments or connections between users. These are common additions, not requirements that every service must offer. YouTube describes its service as enabling people to discover, watch, and share videos, while the OQLF notes that video-sharing platforms generally integrate social-network features.
Examples of video-sharing sites
YouTube and Dailymotion are examples named by the OQLF. The category describes what a service lets users do; it does not imply that all video-sharing sites have the same audience, features, or rules.
#1 Best Overall
- The Google TV Streamer (4K) delivers your favorite entertainment quickly, easily, and personalized to you[1,2]
- HDMI 2.1 cable required (sold separately)
- See movies and TV shows from all your services right from your home screen[2]; and find new things to watch with tailored recommendations for everyone in your home based on their interests and viewing habits
- Watch live TV and access over 800 free channels from Pluto TV, Tubi, and more[3]; if you find an interesting show or movie on your TV, mobile app, or Google search, you can easily add it to your watchlist, so it’s ready when you are[2]
- Up to 4K HDR with Dolby Vision delivers captivating, true-to-life detail[4]; and you can connect speakers that support Dolby Atmos for more immersive 3D sound
How is a video-sharing site different from a streaming service?
The useful distinction is whether users can upload and share videos, rather than whether people can watch video online. A service offering only professionally selected, non-user-generated programming may be considered an on-demand streaming service rather than a video-sharing platform under some definitions. A UK government-commissioned sector report explicitly excludes services whose content is exclusively non-user-generated, including on-demand streaming services. UK sector report
The distinction is not simply “streaming versus downloading”: video-sharing sites can stream videos for viewers, too. The key question is whether user-uploaded videos can be shared through the service.
Rank #2
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When does the term have a legal meaning?
In ordinary use, the phrase describes a service category. In regulation, the boundary depends on the law and its criteria. The UK sector report defined platforms within its scope as online services that let users upload and share videos with the general public, where the provider controls how the service is organized but not the selection of videos. It considered video sharing in scope when it was the service’s principal purpose, a dissociable section, or an essential functionality. That is the report’s scoped definition, not a universal legal rule.
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EU law provides a related but distinct example: a social-media service may fall within the Audiovisual Media Services Directive where programmes and user-generated videos constitute an essential functionality of the service. That is a regulatory test, not a plain-language definition. Directive (EU) 2018/1808
Rank #3
- 4K streaming made simple:With America’s number 1 TV streaming platform,* exploring popular apps—plus tons of free movies, shows, and live TV—is as easy as it is fun. *Based on hours streamed—Hypothesis Group
- 4K picture quality: With Roku Streaming Stick Plus, watch your favorites with brilliant 4K picture and vivid HDR color.
- Compact without compromises: Our sleek design won’t block neighboring HDMI ports, and it even powers from your TV alone, plugging into the back and staying out of sight. No wall outlet, no extra cords, no clutter.
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For UK readers, an important date qualification applies: Ofcom says the UK video-sharing-platform regime was repealed on 25 July 2025. Its page describes the former regime and should not be read as a statement of current UK duties. Ofcom: Better protections from harmful online videos Current legal classification depends on the applicable jurisdiction and law.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- The Google TV Streamer (4K) delivers your favorite entertainment quickly, easily, and personalized to you[1,2]
- HDMI 2.1 cable required (sold separately)
- See movies and TV shows from all your services right from your home screen[2]; and find new things to watch with tailored recommendations for everyone in your home based on their interests and viewing habits
- Watch live TV and access over 800 free channels from Pluto TV, Tubi, and more[3]; if you find an interesting show or movie on your TV, mobile app, or Google search, you can easily add it to your watchlist, so it’s ready when you are[2]
- Up to 4K HDR with Dolby Vision delivers captivating, true-to-life detail[4]; and you can connect speakers that support Dolby Atmos for more immersive 3D sound
Rank #4
- HD streaming made simple: With America’s number 1 TV streaming platform,* exploring popular apps—plus tons of free movies, shows, and live TV—is as easy as it is fun. *Based on hours streamed—Hypothesis Group
- Compact without compromises: The sleek design of Roku Streaming Stick won’t block neighboring HDMI ports, and it even powers from your TV alone, plugging into the back and staying out of sight. No wall outlet, no extra cords, no clutter.
- No more juggling remotes: Power up your TV, adjust the volume, and control your Roku device with one remote. Use your voice to quickly search, play entertainment, and more.
- Shows on the go: Take your TV to-go when traveling—without needing to log into someone else’s device.
- TV, simplified: With setup that only takes minutes, a simple-to-navigate Home Screen, and an uncluttered remote control that does all you need—Roku makes it easier to watch the TV you love.
A quick way to identify one
- User uploads: Can people upload videos to the service?
- Sharing: Can users make those videos available to other people, publicly or to a selected audience?
- Role of video: Is video sharing central to the service, a distinct section, or an essential feature?
- Legal context: If you need a regulatory classification, check the relevant jurisdiction’s current rules rather than relying on the everyday label.
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