YouTube finally apologises for vlogger Logan Paul’s sick ‘suicide forest’ video after furious backlash
VIDEO-sharing giant YouTube has finally apologised for vlogger Logan Paul's sick "suicide" clip.
The company released a statement on Twitter following a furious backlash against the footage, which showed what appeared to be a man hanging from a tree in Japan's notorious "suicide forest".
The tweet read: "Many of you have been frustrated with our lack of communication recently. You're right to be. You deserve to know what's going on.
"Like many others, we were upset by the video that was shared last week."
YouTube came under fire for its silence since Paul posted the 15-minute video filmed at Mount Fuji on December 31.
The post continued: "Suicide is not a joke, nor should it ever be a driving force for views. As Anna Akana put it perfectly: 'That body was a person someone loved. You do not walk into a suicide forest with a camera and claim mental health awareness'.
"Like many others, we were upset by the video that was shared last week.
"The channel violated our community guidelines, we acted accordingly, and we are looking at further consequences.
"It’s taken us a long time to respond, but we’ve been listening to everything you’ve been saying."
But one tweeter, BromieOmie, replied: "You guys don't actually care unless it's about something or someone who gets you money. If y'all actually cared you wouldn't have let the video go on trending."
In Paul's video, titled "We found a dead body", he is seen walking through the forest with two friends.
Paul zoomed his camera into the man's body, who is seemingly dangling from the tree.
The vlogger is heard shouting out to the lifeless man: "Yo, are you alive? Are you f**king with us?"
Then, before ordering someone to call for help, he adds: "A lot of things going through my mind. This is a first for me."
Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, with more than 21,000 people killing themselves every year.
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Suicide does not have the same religious stigma in Japan as in other cultures - and has even been portrayed as an honourable way to take responsibility.
In a previous apology, a video titled "So sorry", Paul, who according to Forbes earns £110,000 per Facebook post and £59,000 for sponsored Instagram posts, said: "I've made a severe and continuous lapse in my judgement and I don't expect to be forgiven. I'm simply here to apologise.
"I've made a huge mistake. I don't expect to be forgiven... I'm ashamed of myself. I am disappointed."
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