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Gadget reviews felt more honest before the influencer era.
Now every video feels like a paid ad.
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nina3651mo agoMost Upvoted
Remember those old magazine reviews that were basically just rewritten press releases? Ads have always been there, just in different clothes. Some of the bigger tech YouTuber channels now are pretty clear about sponsorships and still tear into bad products. It's maybe more about finding a reviewer you trust who actually uses the stuff, not just unboxes it. The noise is louder now for sure, but the good signal is still out there if you look past the top search results.
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charlesharris1mo ago
PC Magazine in the 1990s actually had some brutal reviews that killed products. Not every old magazine piece was a rewritten press release, though plenty were. You're right, @nina365, that ads were always there, but the good critics stood out because they used the gear for weeks. Today, even with clear sponsorships, some YouTube reviews feel rushed after just a day with the product. The real change is how fast the content comes out, not just the honesty.
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