YouTube appoints Web3-friendly exec as new CEO

Google-owned YouTube has named Web3-friendly executive Neal Mohan as its new CEO following the departure of Susan Wojcicki this week.

Wojcicki stepped down from YouTube on February 16 after nine years at the helm, citing plans to start a “new chapter” focused on family, health and personal projects. During his tenure, he oversaw the important introduction of the revenue sharing model, among other things.

Going forward, he will remain an advisor to Google’s parent company Alphabet Inc.

Before becoming the new CEO, Mohan served as YouTube’s head of product and oversaw the controversial removal of the video dislike button, the introduction of YouTube Shorts to compete with Tik Tok, and YouTube Music.

Regarding Web3, Mohan outlined a tentative plan in February 2022 to incorporate various new features such as a Metaverse-based content experience and content tokenization through nonfungible tokens (NFT), disappointment from the NFT-hating community at the time.

In particular, Mohan emphasized that NFTs can provide creators with new ways to engage with their audience and develop additional revenue streams. He cited the potential for creators to mark videos, photos, art and experiences as examples.

“Web3 also opens new opportunities for creators. We believe that new technologies like blockchain and NFT can allow creators to build deeper relationships with fans. Together, they will be able to collaborate on new projects and earn money in a way that was not possible before, ” he said in a blog post on February 10, 2022.

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Although it was planned to be launched last year, the plans related to Web 3 have not yet been implemented but may be implemented in the near future as Mohan is now the head of the company.

Following the news of Mohan becoming the new CEO of YouTube, there was a surprising amount of FUD from NFT skeptics on Twitter who were usually quick to dismiss anything related to reports of major connections to the technology.