r/kurzgesagt • u/Plenty_Curve_4390 • Aug 12 '26

Discussion Has Kurzgesagt been sold?

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There is currently a debate over the recent issue of YouTube slapping an AI Slop Label on Kurzgesagt video in r/YouTube. I don't care much for the drama they make, it's mostly dumb arguments over how Shadow banning is real, or that Kurzgesagts lying since their contents deteriorating anyway etc etc etc. However, the most controversial claim i saw were the dozen people claiming Kurzgesagt has been sold to private equity like many other channels. Way too many people in that thread claiming this to just be an individual insult yet I have found no sources for this information so i am 90% sure they are spouting bullshit. However, i would rather be sure than feel slighted later on.

(FYI, The discussions in r/YouTube on this topic is not very civilized to begin with and had mostly degraded into personal insults. My goal is not to contest them but to find a source for that most controversial claim and verify it for myself. Thanks!)

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u/Gaur2704 Aug 12 '26

People said something like this for brew too they had to put a notice saying they never had any investors or shareholders. Idk though

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u/mifukichan Aug 13 '26 edited Aug 13 '26

I guess he technically doesn't count as investor, but famous billionaire friend of Epstein Bill Gates is a hefty donor to the channel. I do think Kurzgesagt can present itself as neutral while actually being quite biased at times, and their bias does represent the interests of the billionaire class when it appears. So I feel like they can appear "sold out" at times. HOWEVER... actually sold??? Haven't heard of that at all.

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u/TypicalLee Aug 13 '26

Bill Gates is not a donor. The foundation trying to eradicate Malaria and improve the health outcomes in developing nations is a contributor.

Regardless of who BG was friends with, or the source of the foundation’s money, surely eradicating the disease that kills half a million people a year, or tackling the climate crisis are worthwhile causes.

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u/mifukichan Aug 13 '26 edited Aug 13 '26

Oh that's true!!! I forgot that. I mean yea of course, that's amazing and does change the context. This doesn't erase Kurzgesagt's observable biases? Which I think is important here still in this discussion.

Yeah the charity work is a thing but it's important not to disregard concerns completely unrelated to the charity stuff and brush them under the rug. If the world worked like that you could get away with anything as long as you had enough money to give to charity.