YouTube has suspended ads from Logan Paul's videos after he tasered dead rats (GOOG)

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February 9, 2018 1:26 PM

It's only been a month since the suicide forest controversy.

YouTube has temporarily pulled ads from videos made by Logan Paul after he uploaded footage of himself tasering two dead rats.
YouTube said it decided to pull ads after a "recent pattern of behaviour" but didn't point to a specific video.
Animal rights activists PETA criticised the recent video of Paul tasering rats and said it had asked YouTube to remove the video, though it's still available to view.
Paul was removed from Google's Preferred Ads programme and had a movie deal suspended after he uploaded footage of a dead body in Japan's suicide forest.

YouTube has temporarily suspended ads on videos made by controversial vlogger Logan Paul, several days after he posted footage of himself tasering two dead rats.

In a tweet sent on Friday morning, YouTube's Twitter account for vloggers wrote: "

In response to Logan Paul#emo#s... @ YouTube Creators

In a further statement to Business Insider, a YouTube spokeswoman said:

"After careful consideration, we have decided to temporarily suspend ads on Logan Paul's YouTube channels. This is not a decision we made lightly, however, we believe he has exhibited a pattern of behavior in his videos that makes his channel not only unsuitable for advertisers, but also potentially damaging to the broader creator community."

Logan has made a number of controversial videos, even after being disgraced for posting footage showing a dead body in Japan's "suicide forest." All the recent videos likely break YouTube's advertiser-friendly guidelines, which stipulate against "harmful" acts.

In one recent video, Paul finds two dead rats on his balcony and discusses with his friends how to get rid of them.

The two animal corpses are shown on video before Paul pulls a Taser gun out of his pocket and fires at the two rats. "No rat comes into my house without getting tased," he then says.

The video was published on February 5, and was subsequently criticised by animal rights activist organisation PETA, which said it had asked YouTube to remove the video.

@Sarah82890 We are aware of... @ PETA

The video is still visible on Paul's channel, though YouTube has overlaid a warning graphic that the content is sensitive.

In another video, Paul encourages his viewers to participate in the Tide Pod Challenge, a dangerous stunt that involves ingesting the poisonous, brightly coloured laundry tabs.

Paul faced a massive backlash in January after posting the video of himself with a dead body in Japan. He was criticised for his insensitivity towards the suicide victim, and the topic of depression and suicide more generally.

The resulting outcry resulted in YouTube suspending a planned movie deal, and in his removal from YouTube's Preferred Ads programme, which prioritises top creators for advertising.

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