Shadowing Practice: The Worst Sponsorships in YouTube History - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
1
From Honey, a money -saving browser extension, which ended up stealing everyone's money...
2
Honey!
3
steals from creators to FTX, a cryptocurrency exchange platform which turned out to be a scam.
4
FTX tried to hide billions of dollars in fraud.
5
Here are five of the worst sponsorships in YouTube history.
6
Starting with Honey, which the biggest YouTubers promoted as a coupon -finding browser extension that promised to help users save money,
7
only for them to realize that the company was doing the opposite all along.
8
The scam was first exposed by YouTuber Megalag, first revealing Honey's psychological tactic of reassuring users they've got to be a scam the best deal even when no coupons apply.
9
So you add the product to your cart, get to the checkout page, and hello!
10
Honey says they've found you 10 coupon codes.
11
You click apply discounts and Honey gets to work.
12
But unfortunately none of the coupon codes worked.
13
Doesn't matter though, because as Honey has promised us for years, that means we know we've got the best deal.
14
After that, he would uncover how Honey secretly stole the sales commission
15
that was supposed to go to the content creators who promoted them.
16
After clicking Linus's affiliate link, you'll notice in the URL, there's a tracking tag labeled short circuit that's a reference to one of linus's youtube channels
17
and this tracking tag is how new egg knows who to pay a commission to we can also see
18
that this tracking tag has been saved on my browser in the form of a cookie
19
that will expire in 30 days that way
20
if we only decide to complete the purchase a few days later linus will still be credited the sale
21
so what happened when we got to the checkout page well once honey popped up You see that?
22
Honey came in, removed Linus' affiliate cookie, and replaced it with their own, claiming credit for the sale and pocketing the commission money for themselves.
23
Many people praised Megalag for his expose.
24
This is insanely predatory.
25
Great investigation.
26
Every YouTuber who promoted this should make updates to tell consumers what is actually under the hood.
27
And this is exactly what the content creators did.
28
for ever having promoted Honey.
29
I clearly didn't know any of this was going on.
30
- Uninstall Honey if you have it installed.
31
If you didn't ever install Honey, good for you.
32
Keep it that way.
33
- As more and more former promoters updated their audience, YouTube lawyer Legal Eagle would reveal on January 3rd, 2025, that he took action.
34
- Readers are saying that Honey, is a scam.
35
They believe that honey steals from creators.
36
So on behalf of creators everywhere, I have filed a class -action lawsuit.
37
to stop it.
38
But while honey braces for the first wave of lawsuits, Yotta, a savings bank, is still knee -deep after the app kept people's money too safe.
39
In 2021, Yotta introduced itself as a gamified savings app, offering a lottery -like system where every money saved earned a ticket for weekly prize draws.
40
This appealed to big finance YouTubers like Graham Stephan, who promoted it on his channel.
41
I decided to invest an undisclosed amount, and now I can officially say creators like Jake Tran.
42
Lotteries are predatory.
43
They play on our psychology to suck us dry of our hard -earned money.
44
But what if lottery psychology could be used for good?
45
What if lottery psychology could be used to incentivize you to save money and build wealth instead of keeping you poor?
46
Well, that's where Yotta comes in, a savings account that pays you interest in prizes, giving you a chance to win $10 million every single week.
47
But on August 6th, 2022, CoffeeZilla would release an expose about Jake's suspicious promotions, which included the savings app.
48
tell you that lotteries are predatory.
49
But then, in that same video, he'll sell you a "no -lose lottery." Play the no -lose lottery by pausing the video and clicking the link below.
50
$46 ,699.
51
It's been three weeks with no end in sight and these people have mortgages to pay,
52
taxes, bills, and quibbling about the middleman or the bank whose fault it is to miss the point.
53
This video is about to seriously change people's perspectives on financial YouTubers
54
and the blatant lack of concern they have on the products they promote.
55
But while Yara ended up freezing its users' money, Shadow Legends' downfall would be about over -saturating the platform and lying about their aggressive marketing.
56
Starting in 2019, almost every YouTuber on the platform was sponsored by Raid Shadow Legends, a mobile role -playing video game.
57
Download Raid Shadow Legends.
58
This video is sponsored by Raid Shadow Legends.
59
With these same ads popping over and over again, a smaller creator named Foco would comment on the situation.
60
robot and it always hurts to watch.
61
They are just following a script and the same things are being said in every single sponsorship.
62
Awesome 3D graphics, amazing storyline, over 10 million players.
63
Join now and get 50k silver for free.
64
This would also lead to a lot of memes mocking the sponsorship and joking about sponsorship requests.
65
Prompting Raid to clarify everything on February 26th, 2020.
66
Hi there, we do not sponsor, we cooperate only with those YouTubers who play our game and want to be our influencers.
67
We do not pay money for it.
68
The internet instantly knew it was a lie.
69
So when people say "before I start today's video I want to talk about Raid Shadow Legends" that's actually their choice?
70
They choose to go off topic and plug your game?
71
Other content creators, including some ordinary gamers, would also back this up.
72
Now ladies and gentlemen, You know, most YouTubers that I know, every YouTuber in the world
73
that has a channel with at least one subscriber has probably
74
received a paid promotion inquiry by Raid Shadow Legends directly or from a third party.
75
Now, I've been receiving these third party even after I left Raid Shadow Legends with a...
76
- I'm gonna fucking burn Mark up the ass like I literally goat seed the entire game and you know what?
77
I still got sponsorship offers!
78
Although Raid tried to point out that they weren't referring to their advertising campaign, they just received more backlash.
79
Seems like you're in the business of making mistakes as of late.
80
Shady business practices and deceptive actions that make the game unfair for a casual gamer warranted an uninstalled action on my part.
81
In the end, Raid proved they're unreliable because of their lies.
82
Much like FTX a cryptocurrency exchange platform which promised trust and financial security but delivered fraud.
83
FTX was first released in 2019 and instantly got attention in the crypto market.
84
By 2021, the exchange made sponsorship deals with star athletes like Tom Brady, I'm getting into crypto with FTX.
85
You in? and a lot of finance YouTubers.
86
I'm really proud to stand behind today's sponsor, FTX.
87
To one of the largest U .S regulated cryptocurrency exchanges in the world in terms of trading volume
88
and daily users for good reason.
89
Go to medkevin .com /ftx to learn more and sign up to get free crypto every time you trade.
90
Nathan Nasdaily covered FTX founder Sam Bankman -Fried's story calling him
91
"the most generous billionaire in the world." Sam is not a traditional billionaire
92
because he believes in the concept of earn to give.
93
Which means his goal as a human is to make as much money as possible just to give it away.
94
Earn to give.
95
when FTX reportedly used its customer funds to address the company's financial issues, setting up its downfall.
96
It seems to be yet another lesson that you should not trust these crypto exchanges as far as you can throw them.
97
Not long after, Sam Bankman -Fried resigned as CEO and FTX filed for bankruptcy.
98
As for the promoters, they were also sued for misleading investors, pushing Graham Stephan to release an apology.
99
I was wrong and I'm sorry.
100
I trusted them, but in the end, their parent company was not forthcoming with all of the risks.
101
just being one of them.
102
This type of behavior is not something that I ever would have expected." Eva Nasdaily deleted his glazing video, but the damage was done.
103
As for Bankman -Fried, he was charged with fraud and was later found guilty, and as of January 2025, FTX had started to repay its customers.
104
In the end, the FTX collapse serves as a brutal lesson in sponsor selection for YouTubers, a reality BetterHelp foreshadowed when its shady business practices were exposed.
105
On September 27, 2018, there was an influx of YouTubers talking about depression, and being burned out, leading a smaller creator,
106
Memeology 101, to do a personal investigation and claim that these were fabricated to promote BetterHelp as a solution.
107
This drove famous content creators, including PewDiePie, to look into the inconsistencies of the mental health company.
108
So let's say you sign up for BetterHelp for a 7 -day free trial.
109
As soon as that trial ends, you are charged immediately with the full price of a month, $260.
110
for a month that you will not use.
111
He would also look into the company's false promises.
112
BetterHelp also says that we'll find you an online therapist.
113
We'll, uh, you'll just do this quick questionnaire and we'll find the right person for you.
114
But in their terms of service, they also say: We cannot assess whether the use of the counselor is right and suitable for your needs.
115
So what do they do?
116
They don't take accountability for anything.
117
They make no warranty whether what they say is even relevant, useful, correct, relevant again.
118
Relevant!
119
satisfactory or suitable to your needs.
120
PewDiePie would also point out how BetterHelp diagnosed their clients despite claiming they didn't.
121
You have really questionable videos of YouTubers saying: "I suffer with binge eating, which I do want to talk to you guys about
122
because I was officially diagnosed with binge eating disorder by my therapist." Okay, who diagnosed you?
123
"If you guys have ever heard of BetterHelp .com." Oh really?
124
But the most shocking was when he revealed what BetterHelp was doing in the to its clients' data.
125
Though the BetterHelp CEO himself denied these accusations,
126
the Federal Trade Commission accused them of misleading the public with these claims in March 2023, million dollars.
127
Following the settlement in 2024, however, BetterHelp is now trying to make a comeback on the platform,
128
urging Soggy Cereal to release a reminder that BetterHelp will always be the worst sponsor in YouTube history.
129
Such a shady and deceitful past tries to sell something as important as a mental health service
130
that in my opinion is both overpriced and sucks?
131
Yeah, well that should be called out and I think creators should be informed.

Context & Background

In the recent YouTube video titled "The Worst Sponsorships in YouTube History," the speaker outlines the pitfalls of certain sponsorship deals promoted by popular content creators. The discussion highlights various scams, emphasizing how major YouTubers have inadvertently endorsed platforms that exploit users. This context provides a rich ground for English learners to engage with contemporary topics while improving their speaking and listening skills. As you delve into the video, pay attention to the speaker's delivery and phrasing, which can serve as a crucial reference for your own English speaking practice.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • "What happened when we got to the checkout page?" - A useful way to ask about a situation.
  • "Honey claims credit for the sale." - Good for discussing accountability.
  • "This is insanely predatory." - A phrase to express disapproval.
  • "Great investigation." - Useful for praising someone's efforts.
  • "Yotta introduced itself as a gamified savings app." - A way to describe new initiatives.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively use the shadowing technique with this video, follow these steps:

  1. Watch First: Begin by watching the video without pausing. Familiarize yourself with the context and the speaker's tone.
  2. Listen Closely: Play the video again, and focus on the specific phrases highlighted above. Understand their pronunciation and intonation.
  3. Repeat Aloud: Use the shadow speech technique by repeating what the speaker says immediately after hearing it. This will help you improve your English pronunciation.
  4. Record Yourself: Use a recording device to capture your voice as you repeat phrases. Listen to the playback to identify areas for improvement.
  5. Engage with Content: After practicing, discuss the video's content with fellow learners or in a language exchange forum. This interaction will fortify your understanding and enhance your English speaking practice.

Using this structured approach not only enhances your grasp of vocabulary but also aids in mastering natural speech patterns, key to fluency in English.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.