Davos day two: Global tax deal delayed; von der Leyen on Russian food ‘blackmail’ – live updates

Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube, says there are some worrying economic signs – but she isn’t planning to slash investment.

In a session at Davos now, Wojcicki says there are a lot of concerning macro economic trends, such as the Ukraine war and inflation in the US.

But YouTube, and parent company Google, is taking a long-term view and still sees lots of growth.

When you go through a downturn, it’s important to keep that long-term view, says Wojcicki, a veteran of two recessions at Google (she was the 16th employee).

We may delay some projects, Wojcicki suggests, but YouTube is still an important business so there’ll still be investment.

Having been through a couple of recessions at Google, Wojcicki says a downturn can sharpen a business, as it’s easy to say everything is good when your numbers are going up all the time.

YouTube is still operating in Russia, but suspended advertising back in March. Wojcicki says YouTube has made some ‘incredibly tough’ decisions, as it was aware that information can be weaponised, so wanted the right policies and enforcement in place.

It decided to suspend Russian state-owned media globally, and any post that denies or trivialises war in Ukraine now violates its rules.

By staying in Russia, it is able to deliver independent news into the country — the average user in Russia can access, for free, the same information as you can in Davos, Wojcicki says.

[The Guardian reported yesterday that YouTube has taken down 70,000 videos and 9,000 channels related to the war in Ukraine]

Related: YouTube removes more than 9,000 channels relating to Ukraine war

Wojcicki also reveals that she sets screen time limits for her children, as you want to have a balance.

She’s also asked about the leaked draft Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v Wade, the 1973 case that guaranteed the right to abortion.

Wojcicki says she believes women should have a choice when they become a mother, and that reproductive rights are human rights.

Speaking personally, she explains that:

To take away a law and a right that we’ve had for almost 50 years would be a big setback for women, but that’s my personal view.

But as a business leader running a company that supports free speech, there should be a broad range of opinions on YouTube. Everyone should be able to express their point of view (within community guidelines).