FTC: Warner Bros. paid YouTubers for positive reviews

Found on Ars Technica on Monday, 11 July 2016
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While the FTC’s complaint against Warner Bros. (PDF) does not mention any specific influencer, the commission’s press release calls out PewDiePie, the world's top-earning YouTube video creator, as one of the so-called influencers that took the studio’s money.

The commission noted that the sponsored videos for Shadow of Mordor were viewed 5.5 million times, with PewDiePie’s sponsored video raking in more than 3.7 million of those views. The Swedish YouTube star was criticized in 2015 for making what some viewers saw as an excessive amount of money, which he deflected in a video that garnered 13 million views.

Money makes the world turn around. Just because some are hailed as newcomer stars who acts like your neighbour from across the street does not mean that they won't take bribes support money and lie try to influence you. It's all about business.