Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak sues YouTube over Bitcoin scam
Apple co-founder and technology entrepreneur Steve Wozniak has sued Google parent Alphabet-owned video-sharing platform YouTube. Wozniak, who laid down the foundation of Apple with Steve Jobs, has filed a lawsuit against YouTube on the grounds that the site repeatedly ignored his requests to take down phony bitcoin giveaways using his name. The lawsuit has 17 other plaintiffs and has been filed in the Superior Court of the State of California.
“YouTube has featured a steady stream of scam videos and promotions that falsely use images and videos of Plaintiff Steve Wozniak, and other famous tech entrepreneurs, and that have defrauded YouTube users out of millions of dollars,” the complaint reads. “When users transfer their cryptocurrency, in an irreversible transaction, they receive nothing back,” according to the lawsuit.
Wozniak has compared YouTube’s action to that of Twitter and the lawsuit accuses it of “unapologetically hosting, promoting, and directly profiting from similar scams.” The microblogging platform suffered a bitcoin hack recently, with accounts of several famous personalities including Joe Biden, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Kanye West and Michael Bloomberg were hacked.
Though Twitter did take action, YouTube hasn’t allegedly done so. The ‘scams’ on YouTube make use of Wozniak’s image to lure people into believing that they would get double the bitcoins they send him. Wozniak and others seek compensation and want the court to force YouTube and Alphabet to take down the videos and warn users about the scams. "Despite Plaintiffs' and legions of other users’ repeated pleas that YouTube take timely action to end this bitcoin giveaway scam, YouTube repeatedly delayed or refused to do so,” claims the lawsuit.
"As a result of defendants' egregious failures to act and affirmative misconduct in promoting this criminal enterprise, Plaintiff Wozniak has suffered, and continues to suffer, irreparable harm to his reputation, and YouTube users, including plaintiffs, have been defrauded out of millions of dollars. Among other relief, Plaintiffs seek an order requiring YouTube to finally end its outrageous practice of hosting, promoting, and profiting from these criminally fraudulent videos and promotions," adds the lawsuit.
In an email to Bloomberg, YouTube said that it takes seriously reports of abuse of its platform and takes quick action when it detects violation of its policies, including scams or impersonation. According to its website, YouTube eliminated more than 6 million videos during the first quarter and canceled almost 2 million accounts for violating its policies.
“YouTube has featured a steady stream of scam videos and promotions that falsely use images and videos of Plaintiff Steve Wozniak, and other famous tech entrepreneurs, and that have defrauded YouTube users out of millions of dollars,” the complaint reads. “When users transfer their cryptocurrency, in an irreversible transaction, they receive nothing back,” according to the lawsuit.
Wozniak has compared YouTube’s action to that of Twitter and the lawsuit accuses it of “unapologetically hosting, promoting, and directly profiting from similar scams.” The microblogging platform suffered a bitcoin hack recently, with accounts of several famous personalities including Joe Biden, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Kanye West and Michael Bloomberg were hacked.
Though Twitter did take action, YouTube hasn’t allegedly done so. The ‘scams’ on YouTube make use of Wozniak’s image to lure people into believing that they would get double the bitcoins they send him. Wozniak and others seek compensation and want the court to force YouTube and Alphabet to take down the videos and warn users about the scams. "Despite Plaintiffs' and legions of other users’ repeated pleas that YouTube take timely action to end this bitcoin giveaway scam, YouTube repeatedly delayed or refused to do so,” claims the lawsuit.
"As a result of defendants' egregious failures to act and affirmative misconduct in promoting this criminal enterprise, Plaintiff Wozniak has suffered, and continues to suffer, irreparable harm to his reputation, and YouTube users, including plaintiffs, have been defrauded out of millions of dollars. Among other relief, Plaintiffs seek an order requiring YouTube to finally end its outrageous practice of hosting, promoting, and profiting from these criminally fraudulent videos and promotions," adds the lawsuit.
In an email to Bloomberg, YouTube said that it takes seriously reports of abuse of its platform and takes quick action when it detects violation of its policies, including scams or impersonation. According to its website, YouTube eliminated more than 6 million videos during the first quarter and canceled almost 2 million accounts for violating its policies.
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