How a YouTube Personality Unmasks Anonymous Critics

CREATOR NEWSLETTER

Issue #255 | July 16, 2024

Presented by:

This week, we have another wild story from the drama-tuber scene. Reporter Steven Asarch spoke with some of the biggest creators in the YouTube commentary space — SomeOrdinaryGamers and the Internet Anarchist — as well as a smaller channel, the Dark Company, to discuss their experiences with a notorious YouTuber known as TechLead.

For the uninitiated, TechLead is run by Patrick Shyu, who started the channel in 2016 and claims to be a former software engineer at Google and Facebook. Shyu is known for basically being a caricature of the tech-bro-misogynist, saying things like “no one asked for women programmers” and that he “rejected all women on the spot and trashed their résumés in front of them” while working at Google.

In an interview, Shyu told Passionfruit that TechLead is just a “fictional persona built to gain attention” and that anyone watching should “take his words with a grain or large amount of salt.” But as Steven puts it in his piece, “Shyu’s other controversies cannot be explained away as a mustachio-twirling villain for clicks.”

Though Shyu claims to be “not against constructive forms of criticism or free speech,” he has sent copyright notices to three YouTubers who have created critical content about him. Shyu has also been pretty open about using YouTube’s copyright system to get anonymous creators’ names and identities.

In short, the story shows how easily YouTube’s copyright system can potentially be exploited to affect all creators, big and small. Read more about it below.

– Grace Stanley, Deputy Editor

PERSONALITIES

Multiple Creators Accuse YouTuber TechLead of Copyright Abuse

‘He’s been abusing this tool for a while, and I think it’s time that YouTube takes some sort of action.’

By Steven Asarch, Passionfruit Contributor

Man in front of electronic waste background

→ READ THE FULL STORY

Transform your creator business—on your own terms.

With Teachable, you can turn your expertise into fully customizable digital products. Whatever your passion, share it with others in exactly the way you want with courses, community, downloadable content, and more.

Explore Teachable

IN THE BIZ

CULTURE

Creators Shill Merch and Fan-Fic In Wake of Trump Assassination Attempt

‘It’s a lot easier to deal with a democracy in shambles if you have a silly escape.’ 

By Charlotte Colombo, Passionfruit Contributor

READ THE FULL STORY →

TIPS & TRICKS

How To Change Your TikTok Username When You Need To Rebrand

Here’s what happens when your swap your TikTok username for something fresh. 

By Rachel Kiley, Passionfruit Contributor

READ THE FULL STORY →

JOB BOARD

YOUTUBE MADE ME DO IT

Star Wars reactor Catherine LaSalle joins the Reactorverse Podcast to share her journey —  from reacting to fan edits to appearing on Howard Stern — during the Disney+ era of Star Wars TV. 

LaSalle also discusses her early days as a creator, unexpected opportunities, and the ongoing issue of toxicity in online fandoms. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Passionfruit YouTube channel so you don’t miss an episode! If you’d prefer to listen in audio form, we also have a podcast feed. And if you want to catch the episodes early, join us on Patreon!

Copyright © 2024 Passionfruit, All rights reserved.

You are receiving this email because you signed up to get the latest tips, tricks,
and trends in the creator economy from Passionfruit.

Have an idea for our next big story or want to get featured? Email us at tips@passionfru.it

Don’t want to hear from us anymore?
Click here to unsubscribe 

To view in your browser click here 

Content for Creators.

News, tips, and tricks delivered to your inbox twice a week.

Newsletter Signup

Latest Newsletters

  • Older Creators Challenge Ageism

    Older Creators Challenge Ageism

    CREATOR ECONOMY NEWSLETTER Issue 39 | May 12, 2022 The creator economy is often viewed as a young person’s industry. However, while Gen Z is a dominant force on social media, plenty of older creators are challenging the notion of who gets to be successful online. From content houses for retirees to a mega-popular cooking…

    By

    Passionfruit