11 Jan YouTube Takes A Stand
YouTube has decided to drop one of its most popular stars after he posted a video that received extreme backlash due to its controversial topic. YouTuber, Logan Paul, filmed himself in a forest in Japan that is a widely known for suicides. Paul (who originally found fame on the 6-second video platform Vine) decided to create a video where he filmed himself next to a recently deceased body hanging from a tree in the forest. He is one of few YouTube personality’s to cultivate such a powerful online empire – complete with his own clothing line. He has over 15 million followers who tune in to see his daily VLOGS.
With millions tuning in to watch him on a daily basis, his monetized videos were bringing in over $20,000 daily per post on YouTube, $150,000 per Facebook post and $80,000 per Instagram post. However – after the controversy from the not-so-tasteful video sent shockwaves through the Internet – people were urging YouTube to do something about it. The video site has finally made an announcement and has decided to drop him from premium advertising. “The move to punish Mr. Paul a week after the video surfaced highlights how YouTube, which is owned by Google, is slowly coming to grips with controversial content. The issue is becoming more apparent as the online service replaces television as the main entertainment platform for younger audiences.” More and more people (particularly children) are turning to YouTube instead of traditional television. This influx of use makes it imperative for YouTube to have a strong set of guidelines that hold the site accountable for content on their platform.
YouTube has been under fire for their lax approach to condemning videos that go against their beliefs. Their entire business model is surrounded by the idea that anyone can upload any video at any time – so it is difficult to filter out the deluge of problematic content. However, with a user with a following as large as Paul’s, they had no choice but to look at the holes in their system with a critical lens. As the New York Times stated, “YouTube said in a statement that the video had violated its policies, which prohibit ‘violent or gory content posted in a shocking, sensational or disrespectful manner.” Paul is certainly feeling the consequences of posting insensitive content; he has put his ultra-popular VLOG on pause.