YouTube issued a second statement on vlogger Logan Paul's insensitive suicide forest video Tuesday, but stopped short of offering up an apology.
The company acknowledged in a Twitter thread that fans have been frustrated by the "lack of communication" regarding its handling of Paul's controversial video, which featured him joking about a dead body he discovered in a Japanese forest known for suicides.
"Many of you have been frustrated with our lack of communication recently. You deserve to know what's going on. Like many others, we were upset by the video that was shared last week. Suicide is not a joke, nor should it ever be a driving force for views," the company wrote.
It continued by defending its decision to remove the clip from its website: "The channel violated our community guidelines, we acted accordingly, and we are looking at further consequences."
The statement also included a vague reference to "steps" the company would be taking in the future in order to prevent similar videos.
"We expect more of the creators who build their community on YouTube, as we're sure you do too ... We'll have more to share soon on steps we're taking to ensure a video like this is never circulated again," the statement read.
The vlogger took it upon himself to step away from making videos, at least for now, in order to "reflect."
"Taking time to reflect. No vlog for now. See you soon," he tweeted Wednesday.
YouTube's comments follow a brief statement issued shortly after the video went viral Jan. 1.
"Our hearts go out to the family of the person featured in the video," it read. "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."
Paul has also issued two statements. In the first, he apologized, and said his goal was to raise awareness for suicide prevention. In the second, a video, he apologized and said he had made a "severe and continuous lapse in judgment."
