YouTuber David Dobrik released a second apology video after allegations of misconduct.
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In a second apology video on Tuesday, YouTuber David Dobrik addressed allegations of sexual assault against his content creation group, Vlog Squad. The charges led to several brands, including DoorDash, Dollar Shave Club and Bumble to cut ties with him. Dobrik said he will “take a short break” on social media because “I want to be able to have a place of control and balance, I want to have HR and I want to be able to make people communicate discomfort in a way that is comfortable for them.”
On Sunday, The Information reported that Dobrik also left the board of Dispo, the photo app he co-founded in 2019, “so as not to distract attention from the company’s growth,” according to a company statement.
Here is everything you need to know about Dobrik, Dobrik’s accusations, reaction and response.
Who is David Dobrik and what is the Vlog Squad?
Dobrik is a 24-year-old YouTuber, comedian and podcaster who initially found success on the now defunct short video platform Vine. In 2015, he uploaded his first vlog on YouTube, and his channel now has over 18 million subscribers. Their vlogs, which include celebrity appearances and appearances by people like Justin Bieber and Charlie Puth, regularly feature a group of alternative friends known as the Vlog Squad.
What are the allegations?
According to a Business Insider report last week, an anonymous woman said she was raped while filming a Vlog Squad video in 2018. She reportedly said that Dobrik filmed her entering a room with the former Vlog Squad member Don Zeglaitis, where she was involved in group sex, but was too drunk to give consent.
The clip would have appeared in a video on Dobrik’s YouTube channel days later, but was removed after the woman asked to remove it.
In a separate incident reported by BuzzFeed News in February, former Vlog Squad member Joseth “Seth” François said he had been sexually abused while filming a prank video in 2017. In the video, Dobrik makes François think that he’s dating Corinna, a member of the Vlog Squad, who was supposedly in disguise. But he was actually dating another member of the Vlog Squad in disguise, Jason Nash.
How did Dobrik respond to the accusations?
In a YouTube video posted on March 16, “Let’s talk”, Dobrik said, “Consent is something that is super, super important to me. Whether you’re recording with a friend or a stranger, I always make sure that, whatever the video I’m putting out, I have that person’s approval.
“I also recognize that there are times when a person can change his mind and decide that he no longer wants to be associated, he no longer wants to be in the video I am presenting,” continued Dobrik. “So I’m going to take the video.”
He then addressed Seth directly, saying, “I missed the target with that one, and I’m really sorry.”
In the second, longer apology video, published on Tuesday, Dobrik said: “I totally believe in the woman who spoke out against Dom … Although I obtained the consent to post this video, I should never have posted it. ”
Zeglaitis did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Dobrik noted that he decided to stop shooting with Zeglaitis in 2019.
Dobrik said that, at the time, he did not understand that the woman sent a text giving consent to post the video “because she felt she should, not because she wanted to. And this is awesome, I’m sorry.” He added that when the woman extended her hand a few months later, asking him to take the video, he did it immediately.
In the end, Dobrik said he would take a break from social media, saying: “I realize that there is a serious lack of infrastructure when I do any type of content” and that he wants to ensure that people “don’t feel like their emotions or what they are doing or how they are acting is compromised. “
How did the companies react?
The allegations led several companies to cut ties with Dobrik, including Hello Fresh, EA Sports and HBO Max. Dobrik had appeared in campaigns for a number of companies to promote their products and services.
Dispo investor Spark Capital, a venture capital firm, also said it was distancing itself from that company.
“We have resigned our position on the board and are in the process of taking steps to ensure that we will not profit from our recent investment in Dispo,” said company said in a tweet on Sunday.
Seven Seven Six, another company that invested in Dispo, said in a tweet on Monday that the claims “are extremely worrying and are in direct conflict with the core values of Seven Seven Six”. The company said it would “donate any profits from our investment in Dispo for an organization that works with survivors of sexual assault. “
Another early investor, Unshackled Ventures, also said it would donate the proceeds to organizations that help survivors of sexual assault, the New York Times reported.
“We support companies [sic] decision to separate from David and continue to monitor the situation closely, “the company tweeted Monday.