Is Better Help hiring actors to create fake reviews?
Online counseling service Better Help has been at the center of a turbulent YouTube controversy – and now, things could be getting even worse for their image.
Current YouTube king Felix ‘ PewDiePie’ Kjellberg uploaded a video dissecting the service’s testimonials, noting that they appeared to be scripted, as one individual referred to another user’s experience with the site rather than having used the service himself.
“Julian says that BetterHelp.com is a reliable, online platform to receive therapy,” the reviewer stated. “…A therapist of theirs, Lauren McCoy, is attentive, and asks the right questions.”
Drama Alert host KEEMSTAR followed up the story with some additional investigation from fans, which revealed that the reviewer in question is a sales and marketing specialist up for hire on freelance service website Fiverr.
The reviewer in question, Rob Spence, has a profile on the site that features an array of services, one of which is “creating a professional company spokesperson video” – which lines up with his retelling of Julian’s “testimony” on the Better Help website.
This story marks the latest in a slew of allegations against Better Help, which were exposed for their questionable terms of service. While the TOS have since been rewritten, YouTubers who partnered with the service are still catching heat for allegedly capitalizing off of their fans’ mental health, including the likes of Shane Dawson, H3H3, and Philip DeFranco.
These YouTubers allegedly make up to $200 per signup when viewers use their promotional code. While some of these personalities have defended their involvement with the company, others have since backed away from the service – one of which is Boogie2988, who stated that he “no longer feels safe” promoting the website after becoming aware of its TOS.