David Dobrik is apologizing for "mistakes" he's made in his video content creation.
The 24-year-old vlogger, known as the leader of a YouTube group named the Vlog Squad, posted a message via the YouTube channel for his video podcast Views on Tuesday, March 16. In the footage, entitled "Let's talk," David admitted to having "learned from my mistakes" and said he no longer stands by some of the videos he previously published.
"I wanted to come on here real quick and address some conversations that are going on on the Internet," David explained. He said "consent is something that's super, super important to me." He also shared that he "always" gets approval from people appearing in his videos, and that he "will take the video down" if someone decides they no longer want to be associated with it.
"There's also been moments where I've looked back on videos, and I realize that these don't represent me anymore, and they're hurtful to other people, and I don't want them up because I've grown as a content creator and as a person," he revealed. "And I don't agree with some of the videos I've posted."
David seemingly addressed a former member of the Vlog Squad, Joseth Francois—known simply as "Seth" in his Vlog Squad appearances—who alleged last month on H3 Podcast and then in an interview with Buzzfeed News that he was sexually assaulted in a 2017 video that David published.
In his new YouTube statement, David referred to "the Seth situation" but did not mention the individual's last name.
"With the Seth situation, I'm sorry to Seth because, like I said, I just want to make videos where everybody in it, whether you're participating or watching, is enjoying and having a good time," David said. "And I missed the mark with that one, and I'm really sorry. I truly, truly am."
The 2017 video was entitled "HE THOUGHT HE WAS KISSING HER!! (SUPER CRINGEY)." In the video, which was removed from YouTube but is still up on David's Facebook page, David explained that he was pulling a prank on Joseth by making him assume he would be making out with a female YouTuber named Corinna while she was wearing a disguise. But Joseth actually ended up kissing a disguised man named Jason Nash, who is a frequent collaborator of David's.
Joseth told Buzzfeed News that he had not given his consent to kiss Jason. In the Buzzfeed News interview, Joseth alleged he was informed by a worker for a sexual assault hotline after filming the video that he had been sexually assaulted, and when he subsequently told David and Jason this, they offered him money to let them keep the video online. Joseth said he declined the payment and texted the two guys to say everything would "be OK."
According to Buzzfeed News, David's reps did not respond to requests for comment.
In his March 16 YouTube message, David went on to refer to a former Vlog Squad member named Dominykas Zeglaitis, a.k.a. Durte Dom. David did not mention Dom's last name in the new video.
"With people in my life that I don't film with anymore, like Dom and the other people I no longer film with, I chose to distance myself because I don't align with some of the actions, and I don't stand for any kind of misconduct," David said. "I've been really disappointed by some of my friends, and for that reason, I've separated from a lot of them."
In an interview with Business Insider published on March 16, a woman—who spoke with the outlet on the condition of anonymity—alleged that she met David, Dominykas and other Vlog Squad members in November 2018 while she was 20 years old. According to Business Insider, David filmed the woman and Dominykas entering a bedroom, and the woman alleged that she and Dominykas had a sexual encounter here but that she was too intoxicated to give consent.
A few days after the encounter, per Business Insider, the video entitled "SHE SHOULD NOT HAVE PLAYED WITH FIRE!!" was uploaded. However, it was later deleted at the woman's request.
Dominykas declined to comment to Business Insider about the allegations. In a statement released to E! News about the Business Insider story prior to David posting his message, David's attorney said, "David will be addressing his community directly. Anyone who knows him knows he does not condone misconduct in any form. Vlog participants provide consent before anything is posted. Whenever consent is retracted, posts are removed. Any insinuation of wrongdoing is inaccurate and defamatory."
E! News reached out to Dominykas for comment and has not heard back.