A few days ago, I posted a YouTube video showing a viral ad from Newsday advertising its new iPad app. The video shows a guy using an iPad to swat a fly, with the iPad shattering. Cool!
But the video is now down, and I wonder why. It wasn’t taken down by a DMCA take-down sent to YouTube, because the video now says it was removed by the user. An article at Networkworld.com confirms that Newsday removed the video. A Newsday rep stated: “We have taken the commercial ‘Flypaper’ down and its short, glorious run appears to be over.”
But why? Was the notoriously thin-skinned Apple upset? If so, that’s idiotic. Is Apple worried that people will start assaulting insects with their technology? Remember, Apple: iPads don’t kill people, people kill people!
Bottom line: if Apple is putting pressure on Newsday, shame on Apple. If Newsday — a news organization — is caving to demands from Apple, then double-shame on Newsday.
But as pointed out by Networkworld.com, we don’t know (yet) what happened, and Newsday is being tight-lipped with the reasons.
Well, Apple? Newsday?