Uzbekistan weighs YouTube monetization deal in Mirziyoyeva-Google talks

Saida Mirziyoyeva met a Google vice president to negotiate YouTube monetization rules inside Uzbekistan, the Tashkent outlet Kun.uz reported. The talks place a senior platform executive across from a foundation chair tied to the Uzbek presidential administration — an unusually senior configuration for a regional policy meeting.

What did Kun.uz report?

Kun.uz broke the news without naming the Google executive, the meeting location, or the exact date. The headline identified one agenda item only: monetization for Uzbek creators. Policy coordination beyond that item appears to have dominated the conversation.

A Google vice president represented Mountain View. Mirziyoyeva runs a national foundation with ties to the Uzbek state. Both participants carry decision weight above the typical country-manager level. Neither side has published a statement since the meeting.

What is the policy backdrop?

Uzbekistan has long restricted direct YouTube monetization for local channels. Creators earn through sponsorships and partner networks based abroad. The arrangement routes ad revenue outside the country. Local channels receive a fraction of full ad rates.

The Kun.uz source material does not specify how many channels operate under current workaround structures. The outlet does not detail the size of the affected creator economy.

What changes for Uzbek creators?

A direct YouTube partner program inside Uzbekistan would route ad revenue through local channels. It would also place creator income inside Uzbekistan's standard tax framework. The shift would simplify the workaround machinery that local creators currently depend on for survival in the platform economy.

For practitioners operating in Central Asia, the talks carry significant reach implications. A monetization opening would unlock direct ad rates that have been blocked for years. It could also reset baseline revenue calculations for a wider base of channels in the region.

Why does a foundation lead?

Mirziyoyeva heads a national foundation that operates between civil society and the Uzbek presidential administration. Her involvement signals that monetization has moved up the state agenda. The talks confirm the issue now sits at the foundation-to-platform level, outside routine regulatory channels.

What should practitioners watch?

• Any formal YouTube statement on a partner program rollout
• Regulatory movement from Tashkent on digital revenue
• Confirmation of the Google executive and meeting date
• Comparable talks in neighboring Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

No timeline emerged from the Kun.uz report. No follow-up commentary has been published by either party.

What's the practical takeaway?

The talks carry no signed agreement, no named Google executive, and no timeline, leaving practitioners with one hard fact — the meeting happened — and a clear directive to monitor both YouTube and Tashkent for follow-up announcements before any policy shift arrives.

The next test comes whenever YouTube publishes a regional program update. A second test comes whenever Tashkent moves on digital taxation rules. Until then, Uzbek creators should expect no immediate revenue shift and no change to current workaround structures.