David Dobrik has parted ways with Dispo, the disposable camera app the YouTuber co-founded in 2019, following sexual assault allegations against a former member of his vlogging group, The Information reports.
“David has decided to step down from the board of directors and leave the company to avoid distracting the company’s growth,” a statement from Dispo read. “The Dispo team, its product and, most importantly, its community, are synonymous with building a diverse, inclusive and empowering world.”
Dobrik’s decision to leave Dispo follows an Insider report in which one of the women said in a 2018 vlog that a former member of Dobrik’s vlog team performed sexual acts on her while she was too drunk to consent. She was 20 years old at the time and said that friends of Dobrik’s provided her and her friends with alcohol because they were too young to purchase it themselves. Dobrik posted footage from the night of the incident in a video titled “SHE SHOULD NOT HAVE PLAYED WITH FIRE!!!” which was later removed at the request of the woman involved. “We’re all going to jail,” Dobrik says at the end of the video.
“DAVID DECIDED TO RESIGN FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND LEAVE THE COMPANY SO AS NOT TO DISTRACT FROM THE COMPANY’S GROWTH.”
On the same day Dobrik left Dispo, venture capital firm Spark Capital announced it was cutting ties with the company after leading its recent $20 million funding round. “In light of recent news regarding Vlog Squad and Dispo co-founder David Dobrik, we have made the decision to cut all ties with the company,” the firm tweeted. “We have stepped down from our board position and are in the process of taking steps to ensure that we do not benefit from our recent investment in Dispo.”
Several sponsors have also cut ties or are reviewing their partnership with Dobrik in light of the allegations. The New York Times reports that sponsors like HelloFresh and Dollar Shave Club are no longer working with the YouTuber or his team. Dobrik’s main YouTube channel lost more than 100,000 subscribers after the allegations were revealed, and Dispo’s app store page was bombarded with negative reviews.
1/ In light of recent news about the Vlog Squad and David Dobrik, the cofounder of Dispo, we have made the decision to sever all ties with the company.
— Spark Capital (@sparkcapital) March 22, 2021
While Dobrik declined to comment on the report with Insider, he later released a video titled “Let’s talk” in which he addresses the controversy in general terms. “I don’t agree with some of the videos I’ve posted,” he says in the video, adding that there have been “times when I’ve looked at videos and realized they no longer represent me and hurt other people.” Last month, Buzzfeed reported on separate allegations made against the YouTuber by a former Vlog Squad member, which he addresses in the same apology video.
“I was really disappointed in some of my friends, and that’s why I broke up with a lot of them,” Dobrik said. Insider notes that the Vlog Squad member accused of sexual assault will no longer appear in videos on Dobrik’s channel in late 2019. “Consent is something that’s super super important to me,” Dobrik said. “I’m sorry if I let you down, and it won’t happen again, and I’ve learned from my mistakes.”
Dispo is an iOS app designed to mimic the process of using a disposable camera. Photos taken are not available until 9 a.m. the next day and can be ordered as prints directly from the app.
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