David Dobrik steps down from Dispo as lead investor cuts ties from camera app
YouTube: David Dobrik, DispoYouTube star David Dobrik has stepped down from his camera app Dispo following a string of allegations against his content group, Vlog Squad.
Originally known as ‘David’s Disposable,’ the app was launched in December 2019 and quickly found success. They have since raised two investments and were recently valued at $200m.
Now, following quickly from allegations levelled at several members of the Vlog Squad, companies and investors alike are hitting Dobrik where it hurts: his pockets.
As per a report by The Information, the YouTuber has stepped down from the app’s board in an effort to distant himself from the project to not retract from their success.
David Dobrik“David has chosen to step down from the board and leave the company to not distract from the company’s growth,” a representative for Dispo said in a statement. “Dispo’s team, product, and most importantly- our community- stand for building a diverse, inclusive, and empowering world.
Spark Capital, the company that led Dispo’s recent $20 million investment, has also announced that it would be severing ties with the app. The firm have stepped down from the board and are “in the process” of ensuring they don’t profit from their investment.
Seven Seven Six, who led Dispo’s seed round, have tweeted in response to the situation. They’ve not only declared their support in the app’s parting with Dobrik, but they have also decided to donate profits garnered from their investment to an organization that works with sexual assault survivors. They’ll remain part of the company, however.
In March 2021 alone, Dobrik has lost hundreds of thousands of followers, a collection of major sponsors, and Dispo has been ‘review-bombed‘ on the app store. The likes of HBO, Amazon, and EA Sports have all declared they will no longer work with him due to recent controversies.
The leader of the Vlog Squad responded to some of the allegations on March 16 through a video on the YouTube channel of his VIEWS podcast.
“I love being able to make people happy for a living. That’s all that I want to do. That being said, consent is something that’s super important to me,” he said.
“Whether I’m shooting with a friend or a stranger, I always make sure I have the approval from that person. There’ve been moments where I’ve looked back on videos and I’ve realized these don’t represent me anymore.”