The Problem with Linus Tech Tips: Accuracy, Ethics, and Responsibility
The Problem with Linus Tech Tips: Accuracy, Ethics, and Responsibility
I originally posted this on lemmy.world, but then the instance went down again so fuck it, moving my c/videos subscription to here and restarting this post
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Watched the whole thing. Many of the criticisms are valid and rightfully called out. However some of them really feel like it’s stretching and reaching beyond that. Of course they’re competitors now so it could be hard to truly remain objective.
Curious what other people thought of it.
On the one hand, I think it's a bit ridiculous to hold LTT's feet to the fire over ShortCircuit/Unboxing/Tech Preview type content, and Steve Burke takes himself a little too seriously sometimes.
On the other hand, LTT set themselves up for that criticism by making explicit product recommendations in those unboxing videos, and invoking claims based on "lab testing". LTT needs to draw a bright line between unboxing content and reviews, and make it super clear that unboxing content is not a review. "I wouldn't recommend" is not the right language for a tech preview.
And really -- letting one of your employees smack-talk the competition in a lab walkthrough? Just cut that part of the video out. LTT waltzed into this with sloppy editing.
How is it ridiculous because like you yourself said they are offering an opinion on the products? And that wasn't the only point they had, it was just one of many and valid criticism.
And it's dumb to call that sloppy editing when the narrative they were trying to build was that they're more trustworthy than other outlets providing same kind of reviews. And that doesn't seem to be the case.
I unsubed from shortcircuit for this and the general low effort low quality of the content.
I would also add that while the whole situation about billet labs is highly deplorable and a huge fuck up by LMG. You should never EVER leave a valuable prototype unnatended into someone else hands unless you're prepared to lose it. That's like R&D 101.
As big of a fuck up and deplorable action it was by LMG to sell that prototype, there's no reason any sensible business would send out their most advanced prototype to youtube click merchants. massive mistake from them