YouTube CEO Neal Mohan Declines to Join Meta's $18 Billion Child Safety Settlement

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan said on September 23, 2026, that the Google-owned platform will not join Meta's multistate child safety settlement, citing existing protections for young users. "We have invested in making sure that young people are safe on our platform... for a very long time," Mohan told CNN at the Made on YouTube event. Meta agreed to the $18 billion settlement to resolve claims that it designed addictive platforms contributing to a youth mental health crisis. Under the deal, Meta would pay only 70% unless TikTok and YouTube each pay roughly $6 billion and adopt similar changes, including time limits and removal of "like" counts for teens. California Attorney General Rob Bonta said states are prepared to take TikTok and YouTube to court if needed. Mohan pointed to YouTube's parental time-limit tools for Shorts and third-party safety advisers. YouTube and Meta were found liable in a March Los Angeles trial over intentionally addicting a young woman; both plan to appeal.