In a statement, YouTube said, "Our hearts go out to the family of the person featured in the video"
YouTube is weighing in on the uproar after popular video personality Logan Paul posted a video on the site showing what appeared to be the body of a suicide victim. The 22-year-old YouTube star pulled the video Monday, but it had already been viewed 6.3 million times.
In a statement, YouTube said, « Our hearts go out to the family of the person featured in the video, » and then insisted that the site « prohibits violent or gory content posted in a shocking, sensational or disrespectful manner. »
The statement continues: « If a video is graphic, it can only remain on the site when supported by appropriate educational or documentary information and in some cases it will be age-gated. »
YouTube also pointed out that it partners with groups such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline « to provide educational resources that are incorporated in our YouTube Safety Center . »
In the video titled « We Found a Dead Body in Japan’s Suicide Forest, » Paul and his entourage stumble upon a body hanging in Japan’s Aokigahara Forest, at the base of Mount Fuji. Paul addresses finding an apparent suicide victim by apologizing to « Logang » (what he calls his fan community) and saying « this was supposed to be a fun vlog… this obviously just became very real. »
One day later, Paul removed the video and issued an apology on Twitter, writing: « I’m sorry…. I did it because I thought I could make a positive ripple on the internet, not cause a monsoon of negativity…. I intended to raise awareness for suicide and suicide prevention and while I thought ‘if this video saves just ONE life, it’ll be worth it,’ I was misguided. »
By Tuesday, the backlash had become so intense that he created a video apology saying « I made a severe and continuous lapse in my judgment… the reactions you saw in that tape were raw and unfiltered. I should have never posted the video. »
Paul is especially popular among teens and preteens. Last year, he told « 60 Minutes' » Bill Whitaker that he « speaks the language of millennials. »
« If someone has an idea, it’s like ‘yeah,’ we just run with it, you know? » Paul said.
