- YouTube has appointed Web3-friendly exec Neal Mohan as its new CEO following the departure of Susan Wojcicki.
- YouTube’s new CEO Neal Mohan emphasized that NFTs could be an important tool for the platform’s content creators to develop additional revenue streams.
- Neal Mohan will be leading YouTube through transitions into Web-3 and prepare for a pro-blockchain future.
Google-owned YouTube has appointed Web3-friendly exec Neal Mohan as its new CEO following the departure of Susan Wojcicki this week.
Wojcicki stepped down from YouTube on Feb. 16 after nine years, outlining plans to start a “new chapter” focused on family, health, and personal projects. During her tenure, she oversaw the pivotal introduction of the revenue-sharing model, among other things.
Moving forward, she will remain an advisor for Google’s parent company, Alphabet.
Before becoming the new CEO, Mohan served as YouTube’s chief product officer. He oversaw the controversial removal of the video dislike button and the introduction of YouTube Shorts to compete with TikTok and YouTube Music.
In terms of Web3, Mohan outlined tentative plans in February 2022 to integrate new features, such as metaverse-based content experiences and content tokenization via nonfungible tokens (NFTs), much to the dismay of the NFT-hating community at the time.
In particular, Mohan emphasized that NFTs could provide a new way for creators to engage with their audiences and develop additional revenue streams. He cited the potential for creators to tokenize their videos, photos, art, and experiences as examples.
“Web3 also opens up new opportunities for creators. We believe new technologies like blockchain and NFTs can allow creators to build deeper relationships with their fans. Together, they’ll be able to collaborate on new projects and make money in ways not previously possible,” he wrote in a blog post on Feb. 10, 2022.
Despite being intended to roll out last year potentially, the Web 3-related plans are yet to materialize but could be set for another push shortly, given that Mohan is now leading the firm.
Following the news of Mohan becoming the new CEO of YouTube, there has been a surprisingly limited amount of FUD from the feisty NFT skeptics on Twitter, who are usually quick to flame anything to do with reports of mainstream connections to the tech.
