YouTube Swiftly Bans Multiple Food Bloggers Amid Logan Paul Controversy

[UPDATE: YouTube has finally come down on Logan Paul, removing him from Google Preferred, which is the video platform’s primary advertising tool. They’ve also put a hold on some of Paul’s upcoming YouTube Red projects. He is still profiting off AdSense, and has not been banned, like some of the food channels mentioned in the story below. The banning issues with L.A. Beast and Wreckless Eating have also yet to be resolved. ] 

YouTube has been under a microscope since letting daily vlogger Logan Paul post a video showing a dead body, and even promoting it on its homepage. They’ve been called out by popular YouTubers, saying Paul should have been banned in accordance to YouTube’s guidelines, and while Paul is taking a hiatus, it was not a break imposed by YouTube.

Fast forward a few days later, and fellow YouTuber Kevin Strahle AKA L.A. Beast received a three month livestream ban after eating a dead cockroach on video.

L.A. Beast is known for his iron stomach, once taking down 13 ghost chilies in one sitting, and even eating a live cockroach back in 2013. While gross, this is kind of his thing.

Sure, that might have toed the line of YouTube’s posting guidelines, but now the video Website is being questioned for Strahle’s ban, while Logan Paul got off scot-free.

YouTube channel Wreckless Eating came to Strahle’s defense, calling out YouTube, saying:

“So @youtube promoted the showing of a suicide on their trending page with no punishment to @LoganPaul but banned @KevLAbeast from live streaming for 3 months because he ate a dead cockroach. This is really the current state of youtube. Any response @TeamYouTube?”

Wreckless Eating itself said it has suffered from a YouTube ban, as their AdSense has been under review, and they have completely stopped monetizing on ALL their videos. Over the years, they’ve accumulated thousands of videos, and they are currently not getting a dime for them. The foodie channel did not receive any reasoning for the ban, and has been iced by YouTube for over 20 days now.

Day 23 of having @AdSense sitting in review while we make zero income after being a partner for 6 years. Continue to be ignored by @YouTube/@TeamYouTube/@YTCreators. I await the corporate response telling us to be patient and wait.

— Wreckless Eating (@WrecklessEating) January 9, 2018

This has led to a scary discussion that asks if food channels are being phased out of YouTube. Popular food YouTuber Daym Drops spoke on this, explaining his belief that YouTube has been making changes that helps some channels, and hurts others, and it seems that it is hurting a lot of foodies, in particular, fast food reviewers.

Elie Ayrouth, founder of Foodbeast.com, believes that YouTube has changed, and does favor some channels such as Logan Paul, but feels it is because the content connects with a new generation of viewers that is driving the platform, adding:

“There are some food channels that are doing a great job. First We Feast is doing a great job— there’s celebrity in there, and any age is going to care about celebrities. YouTube should have more food programming, and they’re not giving us good enough advice on what is working. People like Daym Drops and Wreckless Eating feel like they’re on an island, and they don’t know what to create anymore for YouTube, so they have to jump ship to other platforms. YouTube could use better education about food programming, because food is a great catalyst to make a lot of money. It’s a rising tide. Look what’s happening to Facebook— food videos really brought up the platform and created brands like Tasty and Blossom.”

YouTube still has not taken action on the Logan Paul situation, making it hard to form a clear cut picture of what is going on with the video platform, but it is becoming more and more apparent that some favoritism might be at play, and from food channels to daily vloggers voicing their displeasure, it is shaking the company to its core.