The definitive timeline of what Logan Paul did wrong, because it’s a doozy
Now-infamous YouTube star Logan Paul appeared on Good Morning America today to once again apologize for his decision to post an expletive-ridden video of a suicide victim’s body.
He told GMA’s Michael Strahan this morning, February 1st, that it was “a horrible lapse in judgment” and that he “can, will, and [is] going to learn from it and be a better person.” Paul also noted that in the aftermath he’s been told that he should “kill himself” by many on social media.
Many who don’t closely follow social media news might currently be wondering who Logan Paul is and what he did wrong. And that’s understandable, because this story has entailed many major developments over the last few weeks. For those just catching up, here’s the definitive timeline of what Logan Paul did wrong and how things have unfolded since.
The video in question
On January 2nd, 2018, Paul posted a since-deleted video for his 15 million subscribers featuring close-ups of a suicide victim’s body in Japan’s Aokigahara forest, also known as “Suicide Forest” for its high rate of suicides. Paul’s inappropriate comments included things like, “Buckle the f*** up” and, “Yo, are you alive or are you f***ing with us?”
After facing backlash, Paul uploaded an apology later that day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwZT7T-TXT0?feature=oembed
YouTube released a statement
We expect more of the creators who build their community on @YouTube, as we’re sure you do too. The channel violated our community guidelines, we acted accordingly, and we are looking at further consequences.
— YouTube (@YouTube) January 9, 2018
Approximately a week later, YouTube released a statement addressing the controversial video, saying, “Many of you have been frustrated with our lack of communication recently […] Suicide is not a joke. […] The channel violated our community guidelines and we are looking at further consequences.”
Paul was removed from Google Preferred ad
service
On January 11th, YouTube removed Paul from their premier ad service Google Preferred, which offered brand partnerships to top YouTube creators. The move significantly hurt Paul’s bottom line, which was estimated at $12.5 million a year before the decision was made.
Paul’s upcoming appearance in the YouTube movie The Thinning: A New World Order was canceled, along with his appearance in the YouTube series Foursome.
YouTube changed its ad policy for all of its creators because of Paul
On January 16th, YouTube significantly limited the amount of channels that qualify for brand partnerships. Creators are now required to have 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watchtime instead of just the previous 10,000 views. They said they hoped this will encourage quality content instead of shock-value, click-bait videos.
Paul released a video about mental health awareness and suicide prevention on his channel
On January 24th, Paul released a video in which he spoke to suicide survivors and suicide prevention workers in an apparent attempt to spread awareness about the issue.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWjxSkJpxFU?feature=oembed
Paul gives his first interview on Good Morning America following the controversy
In the February 1st interview, Paul explained that his intention was always to talk about the serious issue of suicide, not to create divisiveness. He said, “It’s not like I’m a bad guy, I’m a good guy who made a bad decision.”
FULL INTERVIEW: YouTube star @LoganPaul speaks out, one-on-one with @MichaelStrahan. "I am a good guy who made a bad decision…I will think twice in the future about what I post." pic.twitter.com/5ju8WPA4HV
— Good Morning America (@GMA) February 1, 2018
However, many on Twitter were not here for Paul’s latest apology. false false false
While it’s impossible to know if Paul has learned from this experience, we do know that suicide should never be taken lightly. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, never hesitate to reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.