Logan Paul, YouTube celebrity,  uploaded a video on YouTube on December 31st while visiting a forest at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan. The forest is tragically known as “Suicide Forest” due to being the location where most suicides, roughly 100 per year, take place in Japan. Paul shocked and upset many people who expressed their opinions through multiple social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram. The video showed the viewers not once, but multiple times of a man who had hanged himself. Paul also posted an apology on Twitter to his 3.9 million followers along with stating his reasoning behind posting the video. He said that he “…intended to raise awareness for suicide and suicide prevention…” Many people were quick accuse Paul of doing it for money, but in his apology he said, “I didn’t do it for views.” The more views a video has, the more money the uploader receives.

Japan does not have a place for mental illness as it is seen as a disability; it is seen as a weakness. Just last year, more that 31,000 people committed suicide in Japan, many of which were men. Japan, for years, has prevented anti-depressants from being an option, leaving people with little hope. People were upset by Paul’s choice to show the hanging body. Many connected with the soul that once lived, and came to the conclusion that the person suffered before his last breath.

Logan Paul’s purpose to raise awareness for suicide was not what viewers got from his video. Multiple people saw the footage as disrespectful towards the person who committed suicide and opened a wider view point while making it disrespectful to any suicide victim. The video was also seen as inappropriate due to a majority of Paul’s viewer being children. Paul intended to go into the forest with the intention to camp and instead walks off the trail where he later discovers the body. Seen as disrespectful, people are questioning whether Paul really didn’t mean to see the body when he knowing knew to the forest’s nickname, “Suicide Forest.”

Many people have been criticizing Paul for posting the video, including celebrities. Breaking Bad actor, Aaron Paul (no relation) wrote a Twitter post to Logan Paul saying, “How dare you!” Clearly upset from Logan’s actions, Aaron also says, “I can’t believe so many young people look up to you.”

Sophie Turner, Game of Thrones actor, also had something to say to Logan Paul. She did not hold back on calling him an “idiot” and did not believe that he meant to raise awareness for suicide. Other celebrities suggest that Logan Paul should donate to suicide prevention charities. Nate Garner, also a YouTuber, says that in order to prove that Paul cares, he should donate his 2018 YouTube revenue to suicide prevention charities.

On Tuesday, Logan Paul released an apology video titled, “So Sorry,” and has been viewed 29 million times in four days. Paul’s intentions from his one minute and forty-five second video was to again apologize for his actions. Paul also wanted to let his fans know that his actions “do not deserve to be defended.” His promise to the internet is to be better and come back from his recognized mistake.