The Halfway Point & Hard Truths

Man, oh man...

To be honest, I didn't think we would make it to this point, no less in only a few days. It's so great to know so many people give a shit. All of you. My hat is off to you.

Been getting really tired of YouTube's baby shit for a while now. I'm just stunned that they think my content isn't appropriate for advertisers. Meanwhile they put advertisers' ads on super inflammatory content that creates a brand exodus (made way bigger than what it actually was by assholes like the Wall Street Journal).

And who are they gonna blame for this issue? People like me, of course. Sometimes I wonder if they even know who I am. Oddly enough they wanted me in the 2015 YouTube Rewind and the 2016 YouTube Rewind because they like my content so much. Makes no sense for them to then demonetize my content and also leave me and so many others high and dry when the brands pull out.

What makes me a bit angrier is the fact that YouTube is actually protecting a good handful of creators from this brand boycott. Their earnings are fine. Practically untouched. Their preferred partners -- as they call them -- are safe and sound.

Meanwhile, a certain YouTuber (who will remain nameless) strong armed YouTube into giving them hundreds of thousands of dollars through a Platinum Deal two years In a row (unheard of for almost every other creator). The Platinum Deals were offered to creators when competitor video site Vessel was starting up. Vessel went to YouTube's biggest names and offered hundreds of thousands of dollars for them to upload their content to Vessel first for one year. Then upload to YouTube 24 hours later. YouTube didn't like this.

So YouTube offered Platinum Deals to those creators (I am obviously not one of those creators). Hundreds of thousands of dollars to NOT take Vessel's deal and instead stay exclusive to YouTube. And they took it. By the time the year was over, Vessel was a distant memory. No longer a threat. So naturally there's no longer a need for a Platinum Deal. YouTube has no real competition. But one YouTuber contractually obligated YouTube to renew their deal specifically. They are protected. They have received millions in advertising. They thrive in a time when everyone else is having a hard time.

I know I sound bitter. Truth be told, I'm just sick of the bullshit. I've been an underdog for a long time. And though I've worked my ass off to create one of a kind content on YouTube, I don't think they've ever truly been thankful for it. Now more than ever, they're ignorant and flippant of the work I do.

But not you all. You value the work I do. You see the hard work. You value it. And most importantly, you invest in it. Not just your money here, but your time. Your attention.

And in that, we will succeed. Halfway there. This is only he beginning.

Thank you for everything.

Rob