YouTube has announced a new platform for aggregating user-generated content, YouTube Direct.

YouTube Direct allows you to embed the upload functionality of YouTube directly into your own site, enabling your organization to request, review, and re-broadcast user-submitted videos.

YouTube Direct Features:

• 100% open-source
• Customizable interface – allows you to tailor the look and feel of the tool precisely to your audience
• Visitors can answer your call for content by uploading their videos to YouTube via your site without leaving the page
• A moderation panel enables your editors to review and approve/reject all submitted videos, deciding which ones meet your organization’s editorial criteria
• All videos approved by your editors include a link back to your site when viewed on YouTube

This is an interesting development for citizen media – but also an interesting strategic move by YouTube. By giving you a link back to your site for any visitor submissions, YouTube is offering a tantalizing carrot to adopt them as your video platform.