The Wall Street Journal is bullying corporations into pulling ads from YouTube in a desperate attempt to sink independent content creators. The problem is: The screenshots they used to justify their crusade are fake

This post first appeared on Russia Insider

UPDATE: ...And the video proving it evaporates from YouTube. Stay tuned.

UPDATE: Here's a mirror.

Terrible.

People are angry.

UPDATE 2:

Upon further investigation we found out that the video in question was at some point claimed, meaning we dont know if it was making money — Ethan Klein (@h3h3productions) April 3, 2017

I've privated the video for now, we are looking into other details and will update you guys shortly. — Ethan Klein (@h3h3productions) April 3, 2017

We'll keep an eye on this.

UPDATE 3:

Klein says the video was "served", but points out that there is still something terribly, terribly wrong with the WSJ narrative:

The Wall Street Journal has been caught with its pants down in a transparent and outrageous lie designed to target independent media and content creators.

For the last few weeks, the newspaper has been attacking YouTube in an attempt to label the platform as a cesspool of racists and fringe lunatics.

Aside from leeching off the popularity of YouTube stars, the strategy at play here is very simple: The WSJ wants to bully corporations into pulling their ads on YouTube, so that all that delicious money can then be spent on advertising with "responsible" media — such as the Wall Street Journal, of course.

The plan seems to have worked:

Exclusive: Pepsi, Walmart, Starbucks, GM, Dish, FX pulling some Google ads after WSJ found their ads on racist YouTube videos. /1 — Jack Nicas (@jacknicas) March 24, 2017

YouTubers start #ThankYoUCoke campaign to thank Coke for not pulling YouTube ads amid ad controversy... yet Coke confirms it has pulled ads. — Jack Nicas (@jacknicas) March 30, 2017

Except that Wall Street Journal reporter Jack Nicas used fake screenshots to pressure Coke into pulling its ads.

As Ethan Klein from H3H3 Productions reveals, Nicas photoshopped Coke ads onto racist YouTube videos, and then used the "screengrabs" to pressure the company into pulling its ads from the site:

This isn't just YouTube drama. This is a campaign launched by the mainstream media to make independent media and content creation not financially viable.

They can't compete with the message. So they're going after the money.

Except their crusade against independent media is based on fabricated evidence.

The Wall Street Journal just committed suicide.