LinusTechTips Pushes Back on Honey Allegations: “I Am a Victim Here”

The tech world has been buzzing with controversy as LinusTechTips (LTT) addressed recent accusations surrounding Honey’s alleged unethical practices. During a live segment on the WAN Show, Linus Sebastian, the face of LTT, shared his side of the story, defending his actions and distancing himself from the unfolding drama. The allegations, brought to light by YouTuber MegaLag, accuse Honey of tampering with affiliate links and prioritizing profits over users and creators. Linus made it clear that he and his team had cut ties with Honey years ago due to these practices, and he feels unfairly targeted in this scandal.

The Allegations Against Honey

MegaLag’s video claims Honey has been altering affiliate links to redirect revenue streams, effectively taking money out of creators’ pockets. Furthermore, the video accuses Honey of making behind-the-scenes deals with businesses, ensuring users didn’t always get the best possible discounts. While these claims have yet to be substantiated by authorities, they’ve sparked significant backlash against the company.

In MegaLag’s exposé, Honey is portrayed as a company that manipulated the affiliate ecosystem to maximize its profits. The video highlights examples of affiliate revenue being redirected from creators to Honey, which MegaLag claims has harmed the content creation community. However, Honey has yet to publicly respond to these accusations, leaving creators and users in the dark about the full extent of the alleged practices.

Linus Addresses the Accusations

Linus didn’t shy away from the conversation, using the WAN Show as a platform to set the record straight. According to Linus, the idea that he concealed information about Honey’s practices is false. He explained that he had publicly addressed these issues years ago and acted swiftly once he became aware of them.

“MegaLag did reach out to us for comment, and my general position on it was, ‘Yeah, we dropped these guys three years ago. This all came out – all the affiliate-ripping stuff, everything we know about – came out years ago,’” Linus said. “Very interested to see the video and all the other stuff, but I don’t really know what exactly it has to do with us.”

Linus emphasized that his team had terminated their partnership with Honey after discovering that the company was redirecting affiliate codes. According to him, Honey’s refusal to stop this practice was a deal-breaker.

Setting the Record Straight

While Linus commended MegaLag for exposing the issue, he pushed back against claims that he deliberately withheld information from the public. Linus highlighted that he wasn’t the only creator affected by Honey’s practices.

“One of the chatters argued that I was the biggest creator backing Honey. Are you kidding me? MrBeast, with his 300 million subscriber channel, also worked with Honey. Why is the emphasis placed so heavily on us?” Linus said, visibly frustrated.

Linus explained that Honey’s alleged unethical practices significantly impacted his business, which relied on affiliate revenue. “As a creator for whom affiliate revenue from Amazon was, in 2020, 7% of our business team’s revenue, like… this had a significant impact on our business,” he added. “Absolutely it would have impacted other creators, too. And they are victims in this. But it doesn’t change that anyone who relied on affiliate revenue and had it skimmed by Honey was victimized by Honey.”

Why Didn’t LTT Sound the Alarm?

One of the central criticisms aimed at Linus was why LTT didn’t sound the alarm when they cut ties with Honey. Addressing this, Linus explained that his team didn’t have the full picture at the time. While they were aware of the affiliate link issues, they didn’t know about the allegations of deals that deprived users of the best possible discounts.

“If we’d known about any of the more end-user-centric issues discussed in MegaLag’s video, such as purposely not giving users the best deal possible because of behind-the-scenes partnerships with companies, we very probably would have raised more alarm bells,” Linus explained. “We have no reason at that time to believe Honey was anything other than what it claimed to be, which was a coupon-finding service that took an affiliate cut.”

Linus’ co-host, Luke, supported this statement, adding that the Honey scandal “wasn’t their story to break.” The LTT team acted based on the information available to them and moved on.

Community Reaction and Linus’ Frustration

Despite Linus’ efforts to clarify his position, some in the community remain skeptical. Critics argue that as a prominent creator, Linus had a responsibility to be more vocal about Honey’s practices. Others, however, sympathize with his stance, acknowledging that he acted within his knowledge and capacity at the time.

Linus didn’t hold back when addressing detractors during the WAN Show. He expressed frustration at being singled out, especially when other creators who partnered with Honey haven’t faced the same scrutiny. “This situation’s bizarre, dude. I am a victim here. I don’t know if people noticed that,” Linus remarked.

The Bigger Picture

The Honey controversy underscores a broader issue within the affiliate marketing and sponsorship ecosystem. Creators rely on these partnerships to fund their content, but unethical practices can undermine their efforts and erode trust with their audiences. MegaLag’s video has reignited conversations about transparency and accountability in the industry.

As Linus noted, creators who depended on affiliate revenue were directly harmed by Honey’s actions. The scandal also highlights the importance of vetting partnerships and ensuring that companies adhere to ethical practices. For creators, maintaining transparency with their audiences is crucial to building and sustaining trust.

What’s Next?

At the time of writing, Honey has yet to respond to the allegations, leaving many questions unanswered. Will the company address the claims head-on, or will the controversy continue to simmer? Meanwhile, creators like Linus are left to navigate the fallout and rebuild trust with their communities.

As for MegaLag, his exposé has sparked important discussions about the affiliate marketing landscape. Whether or not these conversations lead to meaningful change remains to be seen. One thing is clear: the tech and creator communities will be watching closely.

Reflections on Accountability

In the wake of this controversy, creators and companies alike must reflect on their role in maintaining transparency and ethical practices. For LinusTechTips, this incident serves as a reminder of the challenges of balancing business partnerships with audience trust. And for audiences, it highlights the importance of staying informed and questioning the practices of the platforms and services they rely on.