YouTube CEO Neal Mohan stated in a blog post on Wednesday that Google and YouTube will donate $15 million to help the Los Angeles community and content producers affected by wildfires.
TakeAway Points:
- Google and YouTube will donate $15 million to support the Los Angeles community and content producers harmed by wildfires, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan revealed in a blog post Wednesday.
- When the company’s LA headquarters can safely reopen, impacted creators will also be allowed to access YouTube’s production facilities “to recuperate and rebuild their businesses.”
- Days before Sunday’s looming TikTok ban, content producers have already started requesting that viewers follow them on YouTube and other social media sites.
- Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, as well as the chief executive of TikTok are among the Big Tech leaders planning to attend U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
Google and YouTube will give $15 million for LA wildfire damage
The contributions will flow to local relief organizations including Emergency Network Los Angeles, the American Red Cross, the Center for Disaster Philanthropy and the Institute for Nonprofit News, the blog said. When the company’s LA offices can safely reopen, impacted creators will also be able to use YouTube’s production facilities “to recover and rebuild their businesses” as well as access community events.
“To all of our employees, the YouTube creator community, and everyone in LA, please stay safe and know we’re here to support,” Google CEO Sundar Pichai posted on X.
The move comes days before Sunday’s impending TikTok ban that has already seen content creators begin asking fans to follow them on other social platforms. YouTube Shorts, a short-form video platform within YouTube, is a competitor to TikTok, along with Meta’s
Instagram Reels and the fast-growing Chinese app Rednote, otherwise known as Xiahongshu.
“In moments like these, we see the power of communities coming together to support each other—and the strength and resilience of the YouTube community is like no other,” Mohan wrote.
YouTube’s contributions are in line with a host of other LA companies pledging multi-million dollar donations aimed at assisting employees and residents impacted by the LA fires. Meta announced a $4 million donation split between CEO Mark Zuckerberg and the company while both Netflix and Comcast pledged $10 million donations to multiple aid groups.
Alphabet and TikTok plan to attend Trump’s inauguration
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said on Wednesday that he is one of the Big Tech executives who intend to attend U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
Apple’s Tim Cook will also be attending the event, Bloomberg News reported earlier in the day.
Tech CEOs Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg will be in attendance, as reported on Tuesday, citing a source familiar with planning for the event.
Also, the chief executive of TikTok plans to attend U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, citing two people familiar with the plans.
Shou Zi Chew has been invited to sit in a position of honor on the dais, a location typically reserved for former presidents, family members and other important guests, according to the report.
