Last Updated:December 03, 2025, 13:43 IST
A 27-year-old South African vlogger is being slammed for manipulating viewers by using AI generated thumbnail in a recent vlog.
Kurt Caz, a YouTuber with nearly 4 million subscribers, has come under the scanner for manipulating viewers by using AI-generated thumbnail. (Reddit screengrab)
A section of the Internet descended on a YouTuber for his questionable video thumbnail for a recent shoot in London. The YouTuber in question is Kurt Caz. The 27-year-old South African travel vlogger has been accused of manipulating audiences by allegedly using AI to alter a scene from the video to generate a provocative thumbnail.
Many have pointed out that the YouTuber deliberately altered the thumbnail with malicious intent, solely to generate clicks and boost views for his video.
Here’s how the “clickbait” controversy took off:
Kurt Caz
Caz has uploaded 1,038 videos on YouTube since joining the platform in 2016. His vlogs document the several adventures he embarks upon. The 27-year-old YouTuber from South Africa has set foot in countries such as Pakistan, Iraq, Egypt and filmed his daily life there. Whether trying the local cuisine, engaging with residents, spotting potential scammers, or simply highlighting the genuine hospitality of destinations often deemed off-the-beaten-path, he captures it all through immersive, on-the-ground adventures.
Criticism And Beyond
Caz has a following of nearly four million subscribers on YouTube. His videos routinely clock millions of views. With growing views and more eyeballs than ever before, Caz has also attracted significant criticism for his anti-immigration themes and provocative content.
The YouTuber has, on several occasions, drawn severe criticism from viewers for allegedly altering his video thumbnails to exaggerate danger in places of diversity.
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London Vlog And Outrage
The vlogger’s video exploring the London street, uploaded on 18 October, has been causing massive uproar across social media platforms. Caz has been called out for digitally altering the establishments’ boards, as seen behind him, to display Arabic and Devanagari as he takes a stroll, criticising the dangers of the said street. He also added a ski mask to an unsuspecting man who made a brief appearance in his video.
Not just that, a Reddit user has further accused the vlogger of lying about shooting the video on Oxford street.
“The ‘anti-woke’ YouTuber Kurt Caz walked down what he claimed was Oxford Street, with a bodyguard, wanting to prove how dangerous the city is. The street has been confirmed to actually be in Croydon, 13 miles from Oxford Street,” wrote u/Legitimate_Eye4760 in a heated discussion that took place on the r/quityourbullshit Subreddit.
The OP, in the comments section, further added that the street had purportedly become a regular spot for vloggers to target Muslims, Indians, and Arabs.
“That street for some reason has become an exceedingly common target for anti-woke, anti-muslim influencers. I even saw a person on Facebook saying “I’m about to head into Oxford Street.. Wish me good luck” in complete seriousness. The comments were a mix of people attacking arabs and indians (sic).”
“Irresponsible, Disgusting”
Many focused on the sharp shift in Caz’s content quality. The provocation and clickbait thumbnails that have become a commonstay in his videos must be stopped, rued viewers.
The watchers of the video also emphasised Caz’s insensitive move to add a ski mask to the man’s face, painting him as a criminal. Ironically, the same man approached Caz and revealed that he was a fan of the YouTuber.
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“My favorite thing about this is the black dude just smiling from the bottom of his heart in the real picture. Can’t help but wonder what went through his head while editing, any selfawareness?”
“What’s worse is in the actual video, the guy on the bike is actually a fan of this YouTuber.”
A similar discussion took over on r/youtubeindia on Reddit, where the community slammed the YouTuber for his blatant racism.
“This is what most youtubers do but this guy took it to another level by sprinkling some racism over it (sic),” expressed one user.
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December 03, 2025, 13:42 IST
News explainers YouTuber Kurt Caz Slammed For Controversial AI Thumbnail: Clickbait Controversy ExplainedDisclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
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