A media frenzy kicked up yesterday as it quickly spread that PewDiePie had used a racial slur during one of his livestreams. Today, he’s now released a follow up video called “My Response” in which he apologises for using racist language.
The use of the n-word divided many people, especially off the back of his prank earlier this year in which he paid a pair of Indian men to hold up a sign that read “Death to all Jews”. Notably, Campo Santo, makers of last year’s Firewatch have filed a DCMA takedown request for their game in his videos, looking to cut off all ties, and many other criticised him.
He’s done the only thing he possibly could do in this situation and issued an apology. While it doesn’t address the issue of racism head on, he states that he was spouting the worst language he could think of in anger – something which many of his defenders state is entirely normal, but which really shouldn’t be seen as such. As the largest video games streamer, with 57 million subscribers on YouTube, he has to be held to a higher standard and as a role model for all those that watch him, many of whom will be young and impressionable.
Racism and equality are both deeply nuanced and difficult issues to this day, both on an individual and societal level. No, PewDiePie probably doesn’t get the neo-Nazi gazette in the post every week and go marching with his friend, Tiki torch in hand, but prejudice isn’t always as flagrant and clear to see. He has apologised and acknowledged that what he said was wrong, and so it’s up to you whether you accept this as a sincere apology. What’s truly disappointing, however, is the number of people that blindly support him and normalise his behaviour.
To save you watching his video, his statement in full:
You probably won’t believe me when I say this but whenever I go online and I hear other players use the same kind of language I did, I always find it extremely immature and stupid. And I hate how I now personally fed into that part of gaming as well.
It was something I said in the heat of the moment. I said the worst word I could possibly think of. And it just sort of slipped out. I’m not going to make any excuses as to why it did because there are no excuses for it.
I’m disappointed in myself because it seems like I’ve learned nothing from all these past controversies. And it’s not that I think I can say or do whatever I want and get away with it. That’s not it at all. I’m just an idiot.
But that doesn’t make what I said or how I said it okay. It was not okay.
I’m really sorry if I offended, hurt or disappointed anyone with all of this. Being in the position I am, I should know better. I know I can’t keep messing up like this.
I owe it to my audience and to myself to do better than this because I know I’m better than this.
I really want to improve myself and better myself, not just for me, but for anyone who looks up to me or anyone who’s influenced by me. That’s how I want to move forward away from this.
via Eurogamer
Sitorimon
Translates to, “My sponsors and endorsers would like me to say I’m sorry because I’ve more money than sense and think I can spout anything to pull in the clickbait. Rest assured, my next game I’ll play will be a rage inducing unfair platform/horror game – who knows what I’ll scream at you for shock value next time… so like, comment and subscribe”.
There’s so many points of issue I have with all of this, namely the defence of it, and then for me personally as a YouTuber, the impending regulatory doom that will swing in as a result.
JR.
And all is right in the world again. Or is it left? It’s difficult to know where one’s up to in these most trying of times.
Now then, what do we all think about GAME making light of the victims of Hurricane Irma? I haven’t stopped crying since I read the dreadful tweet. I’m honestly not quite sure if I’ll ever get over it.
borsdy
Uh huh, I suppose you could say not tolerating racism is a left thing
jase
I’d say not tolerating racism is the right thing ;)
JR.
I absolutely agree but I also believe that we should be intelligent enough to apply common sense in circumstances such as this. Did he intend to cause offence? I don’t believe he did. He DID cause offence however and apologised. I’d like to think his apology was genuine although I accept, it may not be. He’s an idiot for saying it, he’s probably an idiot generally but last time I checked being an idiot isn’t a crime. Case closed.
But it isn’t closed is it? And I find this growing trend to publicly vilify and attempt to destroy a persons livelihood over one comment to be deeply disturbing. We see it happening more and more, this mob mentality, as we head toward a truly totalitarian future.
These people who condone appalling behaviour and violence in the name of their own self-righteousness. Fighting against racism, oppression (insert cause here) whilst themselves becoming the very thing they believe they are hoping to defeat.
Racism is a serious issue. One idiot repeating a racist slur online, without intent, IS an issue but it isn’t racism – by the very definition of the word. He should apologise (he did) and that should be the end of it. Unless we should round up anyone who ever said anything offensive and keep them in camps, whilst we come up with a final solution.
Paranoimia
I’d never heard of him until about a year ago, at which point I watched part of one of his videos and found him far too irritating to bother with.
That being said, while I certainly won’t defend the guy, the Campo Santo issue is a complete abuse of the DMCA system. The law is in place to protect copyright, not to be used against people because you don’t like what they say. Some who know more than I about it have said that according to the regulations, it may even be illegal.
Stefan L
The distinction here is that PDP is providing entertainment, which may not be protected by fair use if tested in a court of law, while other forms of video like reviews, direct parody, etc. are protected. You could think of the DCMA takedown being like a band who doesn’t want their music to be licensed to a politician they don’t agree with.
Paranoimia
The issue of not being fair use seems unlikely to stand up, as the game’s website gives explicit permission to stream and monetise videos:
http://www.firewatchgame.com/about/#streaming
If they’d stopped him (and everyone else) from streaming/monetising immediately (as with the musicians and Trump), it might be a little different. But they’ve been quite happy for the videos to stand until now, and presumably quite happy to take the money from the extra sales his videos have no doubt generated.
They’re doing this simply because they don’t like what he said, which while understandable, certainly seems to be an abuse of the law and its intended purpose. I could understand if Player Unknown were taking this action, as they are directly associated since it was their game he was playing.
I very much doubt that anyone would have felt that pdp’s faux pas reflected badly on Campo Santo, or even given them or his videos of Firewatch a second thought, had Vanaman not made such a public song and dance about it. In fact, the two seem so unrelated to me that my inner skeptic sees the issue as little more than a cynical ploy for some free publicity.
This guy is apparently a Copyright Attorney, and he seems to think it’s a bogus claim too. I sincerely hope it’s thrown out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhn6yrNzM3M
MrYd
That bloke in the youtube video is quite clearly biased though. Starts out with a vague statement that PDP is wrong but obviously doesn’t want to make too much of that, and then can’t be bothered to get the name of the developers of Firewatch right. Who he then goes on to attack over their reasons for the DMCA notice.
There may be legal arguments later, but they’re not going to be something you can trust by that point.
There are 2 points to the whole legal thing that nobody knows the answer to unless it gets tested in court.
Is it fair use? Maybe, maybe not. Laws seem to be vague enough to go either way on that one.
And the permission they gave for streaming. Can that be revoked at any time, either for an individual or more generally? Quite clearly it can. And does that affect any existing videos?
At the very least, PDP isn’t allowed to make any more videos featuring their games (assuming it doesn’t legally count as fair use). But the permission they gave is vague enough that he might be able to keep the old videos up or not. They could argue that they obviously didn’t mean that permission applies forever.
There’s even an argument to be made for when the video is published. Is it at the time it’s uploaded? Or is it published every time someone views it? Which would mean he doesn’t have to delete the video, just nobody is allowed to view it.
Actually, I lied. That’s 3 points. Is it fair use? (Maybe) Can they revoke the permission they gave? (Absolutely) Would that apply to existing videos? (Possibly)
Starman
Well seeing as he used that language shouldn’t YouTube demonetise his channel? Of course they won’t, he makes them too much.
JR.
Why don’t we go full Salem on his ass and burn him at the stake too. I’m sure there are many amongst the so-called ‘tolerant’ who would be perfectly happy to do just that. So consumed are they in their self-imagined hysteria.
Starman
My post was more a jibe at YouTube’s ridiculous new advert policy that has harmed a lot of channels and its double standards than at pdp. I’ve never even watched a video of his.
JR.
Nor I. Although I may have entertained the idea if not for that dreadful, homeless-looking beard he seems content on wearing. And even then, only on mute. I can’t imagine anything he has to say is of any value.
CR8ZYH0RSE
To be honest i wanted to punch him before this happened anyway,now i’m more determined.
double-o-dave
I just wanted to punch him anyway too. I find this a lot with people… men, women, children, puppies, kittens, badgers etc. I just wanna punch stuff – Dave of War!