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YouTube Pledges $5M to Fund 'Positive' Videos

Following the Logan Paul 'suicide forest' video controversy, YouTube this week promised to spend $5 million this year funding videos that promote positive social messages.

Angela Moscaritolo
 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Expect more positivity and less suicide mockery on YouTube in 2018. Following the Logan Paul "suicide forest" video controversy, YouTube this week promised to spend $5 million this year funding videos that promote positive social messages.

In a blog post, YouTube's Head of Public Policy Juniper Downs said the Google-owned company will use the money to expand Creators for Change, a program it launched in 2016 to support YouTubers who are "tackling social issues and promoting awareness, tolerance and empathy" on their channels.

"We will engage more creators in the program, arm the wider YouTube community with new tools and education on how to create change, and empower more young people to use their voices to encourage positive social messages," Downs wrote. As part of the effort, the company plans to provide production and marketing support "to diverse voices harnessing the power and scale of YouTube in groundbreaking, positive ways." Production grant recipients will be announced "in the coming months."

Downs said that Creators for Change videos garnered "tens of millions" of views last year.

"Video is a powerful medium to open minds to new perspectives and shared experiences," he wrote. "And we think Creators for Change in 2018 will reach and inspire even bigger audiences."

The pledge follows the controversy over YouTube star Logan Paul's "suicide forest" video, which sparked major backlash online. The video, which appeared to show a dead body in Japan's infamous Aokigahara forest, also known as "suicide forest," has since been removed.

Following the backlash, YouTube removed Paul from its Google Preferred program, which lets brands run ads on videos from the most popular YouTube channels, according to Hollywood Reporter. The company also cut Paul from the upcoming season of Foursome, a comedy show on its premium YouTube Red service.

"Suicide is not a joke, nor should it ever be a driving force for views," YouTube wrote on Twitter. The company said it's taking steps to "ensure a video like this is never circulated again."

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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