RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Youtuber Felipe Neto, 31, announced on Tuesday, November 19th, that in celebration of the 35 million subscribers to his video channel, he would give R$500 (US$125) to those who would simply ask him.
In the campaign, he used the Picpay App, an electronic wallet that is charged with a credit card and can be used to transfer money to friends.
Within minutes, his followers started telling their stories with the hashtag #FelipeNeto35Milhoes. Money to get married, to have surgery, a home makeover, and even to feed themselves has entered the order list.
At the end of the day, he said he had stopped donations and that he had tried to help “as many people as possible”, although he did not report the total amount distributed and did not disclose whether it was a promotional campaign for the app.
In September this year, the Youtuber purchased 10,000 LGBT-themed books at the Book Biennial in Rio to distribute among the visitors. His decision was made when he learned that the works would be censored by the city government.
At the time, Mayor Marcelo Crivella announced on his Twitter that he would censor the comic book “Avengers – The Children’s Crusade,” which was being sold at the Biennial.
The comic book features two men kissing each other – which Crivella regards as pornography and, therefore, would violate the Statute for Children and Adolescents.