Logan Paul Backlash: Angry YouTube Fans Want Social Media Star Banned After Video Of Suicide Victim
Logan Paul has apologized for posting a disturbing video of an apparent suicide victim in Japan, but critics say his explanation is not good enough. The popular 22-year-old YouTube star is facing serious backlash after sharing a now-deleted 15-minute video of a suicide victim in the Aokigahara forest in Mt. Fuji in Japan, which is known as a top suicide location, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Logan Paul titled his video “We Found a Dead Body in Japan’s Suicide Forest” and the controversial clip racked up 6 million views in its first 24 hours online. Ahead of his shocking post, Logan Paul teased that his upcoming clip would be “the craziest and most real video” he had ever uploaded.
Logan Paul has his 15 million YouTube subscribers, many of them children. After his suicide video sparked an angry response from a slew of outraged viewers, Logan Paul took to Twitter to issue an apology.
“I’m sorry,” Logan wrote to his 3.9 million Twitter followers. “This is a first for me. I’ve never faced criticism like this before because I’ve never made a mistake like this before.”
Paul went on to say explain that he usually makes good decisions but that he is still “a human being.” Logan also reiterated that he did not post the disturbing video for views.
“I didn’t do it for views. I get views,” Logan wrote. “I did it because I thought I could make a positive ripple on the Internet, not cause a monsoon of negativity.” You can see Logan Paul’s apology note below.
Dear Internet, pic.twitter.com/42OCDBhiWg
— Logan Paul (@LoganPaul) January 2, 2018
While Logan Paul contends he posted the disturbing video to “raise awareness for suicide and suicide prevention,” others are not buying it. Outraged social media fans have petitioned YouTube to do something about Logan Paul and his content. Some users are calling for all of Logan Paul’s videos to be deleted from YouTube, while others contend that the popular star is getting special treatment from the social media site.
Fellow YouTube star Philp DeFranco wrote the following.
“Just remember this. Before all the extended community outrage against Logan Paul’s ‘we found a dead body’ video, there was a seemingly uncontested 550-600,000 likes on it. His core audience doesn’t give a f**k. Unless YouTube does something, this doesn’t hurt him.”
Many others, including social media stars Kandee Johnson and Meg Turney, asked YouTube to get put restrictions on Logan Paul’s channel now, with some pointing out that past vloggers have been banned from the site for offenses that were far less horrific. Several outraged YouTuber users called YouTube out for giving Logan Paul special treatment.
Dear @youtube, after the Logan Paul video where he shows a dead body of a suicide victim, uses that for the title, makes heartless jokes next to the body, there needs to b age restrictions for certain creators. How is this allowed on YT? His followers are children! Horrifying
— Kandee Johnson (@kandeejohnson) January 2, 2018
?RETWEET THIS FOR @YouTube to make a change. Youtube CANNOT allow disgusting, horrifying content like what Logan Paul did. He not only used the dead suicide victims body in his thumbnail, but zooms in on the victims hands & pockets & makes heartless jokes! This is unacceptable!
— Kandee Johnson (@kandeejohnson) January 2, 2018
https://twitter.com/megturney/status/948054857021259776
https://twitter.com/JonLeeBrody/status/948066133571178496
If you even attempt to defend Logan Paul’s actions, you need to re-evaluate yourself. Absolutely disgusting. Get this man off YouTube.
— Brennon O’Neill – Goldy (@GoldGloveTV) January 2, 2018
https://twitter.com/Chris_Stuckmann/status/948044152637452288
We are so sickened by this Logan Paul situation. @Youtube took our videos down because of….CLEAVAGE. They MUST take down & BAN Logan for showing a DEAD man & joking about suicide in his video! THIS IS NOT OKAY! I'm sure children are more much more damaged by seeing that.
— Chad – Screen Team (@TheScreenTeam) January 2, 2018
WHY DOES LOGAN PAUL NOT HAVE A STRIKE ON HIS CHANNEL?
WHY DOES LOGAN PAUL NOT HAVE A STRIKE ON HIS CHANNEL?
WHY DOES LOGAN PAUL NOT HAVE A STRIKE ON HIS CHANNEL?
WHY DOES LOGAN PAUL NOT HAVE A STRIKE ON HIS CHANNEL?
WHY DOES LOGAN PAUL NOT HAVE A STRIKE ON HIS CHANNEL?@YouTube— CONNORSUCKSlol ? (@CONNORSUCKSlol) January 2, 2018
YouTube has not yet issued a statement on Logan Paul’s video controversy, but his channel remains up and running with new content posted as recently as New Year’s Day. In addition to his now-deleted suicide victim video, Logan Paul’s recent videos chronicle some of his stops during his travels to Tokyo. One week ago, Logan Paul posted a video titled “Why 2017 Was the Best Year of My Life.” Unfortunately for him, 2018 probably won’t top it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcFVfWuexFI
