Along with the anticipated YouTube One Channel, which is a redesigned channel layout that will be rolled out to all users on June 5, the video streaming network is also introducing exclusive paid content from big entertainment brands such as Sesame Street and National Geographic.

The new paid subscriptions will not affect content that is already available on YouTube for free. Additionally, all paid channels will offer a free trial period, allowing users to preview paid content before committing to a monthly subscription. For the time being, most paid channel subscriptions cost a low monthly fee of only $1.99; however, some subscriptions will include access to multiple paid YouTube channels, and offer users the option of paying monthly or annually, so prices will vary.

Paid content is currently available on Xbox 360, most Android & Apple devices (not including Apple TV), and smart TVs equipped with YouTube apps. Additionally, some content may be restricted based on user location. If a paid channel is not available in a given country, users from that country can still access free video previews and read the channel description.

Independent artists, filmmakers, and others aiming to break into the entertainment industry have already monetized channels through advertisements; however, due to ad-blocking programs used by many YouTube viewers, this effort to earn money through YouTube video views is not always successful. While paid channels are only available to select brands at this time, the video streaming company has stated they will be giving independent content creators access to the paid subscription program in the future.

This week, Facebook launched a new featured called Trusted Contacts in an attempt to discourage account hacking. Unfortunately this additional feature hasn’t necessarily addressed the aspects of their password recovery service that are the most susceptible to hacking.

The goal of the newly added Trusted Contacts is to implement an extra layer of security between strangers and personal data on Facebook; however, it still remains all too simple for savvy users to take advantage of the “Forgot Password” tool. Once a user indicate that they’ve forgotten their Facebook password, the site offers three password reset options: via Google account, email, or phone. Unfortunately this is where the effectiveness of Facebook’s security measures ends.

A user simply has to indicate that they no longer have access to the Google account, email address, or phone associated with their account, and they’ll be prompted to supply a new email address with which to reset the account. Only at this step in the account recovery process does the new Trusted Contacts feature come into play.

If a user cannot recall the answer to their custom security question, they only need to name one of the listed Trusted Contacts to proceed to the next part of the process. This grants access to the full list of Trusted Contacts, meaning that anyone who has reached this screen has the means to obtain the necessary security codes for recovering a Facebook account that may or may not belong to them.

While Facebook works out the kinks and drawbacks to this new security feature, those wary of appointing Trusted Contacts may be better off avoiding the feature entirely for the time being. The password recovery feature prompts users to answer their custom personal security questions only if no Trusted Contacts have yet been listed. This extra layer of security is an additional comfort to many members of Facebook which, despite its popularity, has done little to improve its reputation for questionable account security and privacy control.

This Sunday, the biggest and greatest Hollywood stars will gather at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles for the 85th Academy Awards. Over the last 85 years, the film industry’s biggest event has experienced its fair share of ups and downs despite meticulous minute-by-minute planning.

Sometimes putting together a room full of Hollywood stars is a recipe for drama — and not the entertaining kind. It could mean dealing with inflated celebrity egos, like when James Cameron accepted his second Oscar for Titanic at the Academy Awards in 1998 and declared himself “king of the world,” quoting his film’s own protagonist. It could mean gritting through four hours of lackluster hosts who miss the mark completely like 2011′s hosting duo, James Franco and Anne Hathaway, who were called “spectacularly bad” despite being generally well-liked actors.

Other times, however, the planning is worth every sleepless hour and things come together in a way to make the event a shining success that is praised for years to come. Take for instance Billy Crystal’s first-time hosting success that led to another eight appearances as Academy Awards host. Bob Hope also successfully hosted or co-hosted the Academy Awards for fourteen years, and “the king of late night” Johnny Carson was given the reins as host multiple times.

Clearly what the success of the Oscars comes down to, in large part, is having an entertaining host who can roll with the punches and keep time without the help of a strict script.

That brings us to this year’s host, Seth MacFarlane, who is best known for the creation of Family Guy, a satirical and oftentimes crude cartoon, and its spin-offs. This may be the reason that many people would underestimate or entirely overlook Seth MacFarlane when it comes to Hollywood appearances that demand elegance.

Despite the baser humor we’re exposed to on Family Guy and his knack for wildly inappropriate puns, in the past few years Seth MacFarlane has become more respected in the industry for his comedic style and keen eye for a worthwhile production. In other words: the man knows humor and how to deliver. When it comes to celebrities who can stay afloat off-script, MacFarlane could potentially be perfect for the job. Unfortunately it’ll be impossible to know how his stage presence holds up until the big show Sunday evening.

If you’re looking for information about the 85th (or previous) Academy Awards, be sure to consult the BOTW Directory — your ultimate resource for meaningful guidance on the web. Whether you’re interested in the red carpet fashion, nominees and winner predictions, or just want to find more opinions about whether or not MacFarlane has what it takes to host, Best of the Web can direct you to blogs, online magazines, and other websites completely dedicated to this Sunday night & Hollywood’s biggest annual event.

Life on the web is fast paced. While Internet marketers are still adjusting to the most recent Google algorithm updates, they’re also forced to constantly refine their efforts, adapt to new white hat standards, and create quality content all while still being able to deliver measurable results.

In 2012, we saw a lot of updates and redesigns in the world’s most popular social networks. Social media gurus and Internet marketers alike are beginning to imagine and anticipate the innovative changes 2013 will bring to online communication and social media marketing. Here are a couple changes marketers predict businesses will be focused on during 2013 based on the last year:

Return on Investment

Many companies have a social media presence because it is considered a prerequisite to credibility in the big digital picture. Most brands on social networks understand the importance of maintaining open lines of communication with customers, earning likes or followers, and giving their fans exclusive content. Now, however, Internet marketers and brands are faced with the challenge of meeting more than the minimum standards for having a social media presence while making it profitable.

Mobile Optimization

Most consumers now own smartphones with all the apps necessary to consume your digital content through the palm of their hands, from any location. The ease of access and convenience of mobile applications means this is a side of your marketing strategy that cannot be ignored. Businesses need to focus not only on providing digestible content across multiple platforms, but also on creating exclusively mobile content to increase demand in their mobile presence.

If you ask individual users — not brands — on Google+ what their favorite feature of the social platform is, they’re likely to praise its ability to automatically upload of photos & videos from their cell phones, to be shared at the user’s convenience.

Last week, Facebook launched their newest feature for user photos — which had been available to a select few users since August — in order to match the convenience of the same utility on Google+. The availability of this feature across all 800 million active profiles is uncertain, but users will have to manually enable Photo Sync after they are granted access to it.

Users can activate Photo Sync from the Photos tab of their Facebook mobile application, and tap the “Sync” button. According to Facebook, users will be able to store approximately 2GB of photos before needing to share them or clear space. Since photo sharing is one of the most popular uses for Facebook, and the platform has such a large population, users expect that Photo Sync will quickly overshadow Google+’s once innovative feature.