YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki at the Code Conference

YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki addresses the platform’s ongoing struggle to balance open expression with responsible content moderation. The discussion centers on the tension between maintaining a global, accessible platform and mitigating harmful content, which represents a small but significant fraction of total uploads. Wojcicki explains the shift toward stricter monetization standards, noting that while community guidelines determine what stays on the platform, monetization is a privilege requiring adherence to higher standards. She emphasizes the use of AI and human review teams to enforce policies consistently at scale, while acknowledging the necessity of "trusted tiers" for creators. The conversation also touches on the company's efforts to curb radicalization through algorithmic adjustments and the challenges of implementing consistent policies across diverse content categories, ranging from political commentary to educational material.