YouTuber Logan Paul is facing severe backlash for his choice to post a video showing the hanging body of an apparent suicide victim in Japan’s Aokigahara forest. The video has been taken down by Paul and he has issued a written apology. Logan Paul was in Japan filming for his daily vlog and the Aokigahara forest was on their agenda for the day. The forest is commonly referred to as “suicide forest” because of the number of suicides committed there.
The choice to continue filming the deceased as well as his and his team’s reaction is sparking outrage. Paul and his team consciously filmed and edited the video and uploaded it with the title, “We found a dead body in the Japanese Suicide Forest…” Paul has issued a video apology for the incident which you can watch below.
We also reached out to Google for comment on the matter and a Google spokesperson had this to say about the video.
Our hearts go out to the family of the person featured in the video. YouTube prohibits violent or gory content posted in a shocking, sensational or disrespectful manner. If a video is graphic, it can only remain on the site when supported by appropriate educational or documentary information and in some cases, it will be age-gated. We partner with safety groups such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to provide educational resources that are incorporated in our YouTube Safety Center.
Now, for the editorial part of this article.
This Logan Paul news story has been circulating on the internet all morning. When I initially ran across it I decided that it was something we weren’t going to cover here at Techaeris. But as my thoughts marinated I began thinking about my own dark times.
It’s been years past now but there was a time in my life that I thought suicide was an option. My preferred method of ending things was parking my car on the train tracks in the middle of nowhere. I did just that, several times, each time I moved just in time. It’s not an easy thing to talk about and even harder to talk about in the moment you’re living it. What Logan Paul did was appalling and we hope YouTube/Google are taking the matter seriously.
I’m not here to bash on Logan Paul, yes what he did was wrong. I think the broader picture here is that Logan Paul felt there was a market for this type of video. What does that say about who we are and who we’re becoming? To think that watching the lifeless body of a human person is entertainment? To think that seeing a person in their last moment of pain is entertainment?
I am grateful beyond words that I am still alive. I am grateful for many people in my life who either stepped in to help me, some consciously and some unknowingly. Suicide sucks but its a reality. Dealing with it can be a lifelong struggle for some.
I encourage anyone going through the struggle to seek help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline phone number is 1-800-273-8255. If not them then reach out to someone, anyone you trust. Don’t be afraid to talk to someone.
To those who’ve never dealt with suicide. Don’t turn your back on a person seeking help. If you believe someone is struggling with suicidal thoughts gently ask them about it. It will take courage on everyone’s part to deal with this reality. Let’s all be better to each other.
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