Recommendations of the Editorial team
In the current episode of the “ZDF Magazin Royale”, Jan Böhmermann once again caused a sensation: the satirist unveiled the identity of the previously anonymous YouTuber behind the “Clown World” channel. The program not only called the man’s real name, but also his place of residence and professional background – which also triggered a heated debate on the net.
The Youtuber, who calls himself “Clownie”, has achieved hundreds of thousands of subscribers with socio -political videos and right content. Böhmermann and his team had researched the identity of the man together with the “ZEIT”. According to the program, it is a 29-year-old Metal guitarist from East Westphalia, who is even observed by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. He started studying teaching after graduating from high school, but did not complete it.
Apparently, the consequences were not long in coming: the unveiling seems to have done a lot in the private environment of the YouTuber. His band announced a few days after the program was broadcast on Instagram that the musician was no longer a member. They separated due to “insurmountable personal differences”.
“ZDF Magazin Royale” does “doxing” – justified?
Böhmermann justified the unveiling with the fact that the channel with its right positions have long since arrived in the social mainstream and that the anonymity of the operator was no longer worth protecting. “Anyone who tells the truth in front of 227,000 subscribers on the Internet, ‘clown world’ can also show their face,” said the moderator on the show.
The procedure not only caused applause on the net, some also criticize Böhmermann. On the X platform, some accused the ZDF “doxing”, i.e. the targeted publication of personal data without consent, often with the aim of putting the data subject under social pressure. An official AfD account also commented and compared the procedure with practices from totalitarian systems. The party had previously shared contributions to the canal itself, as Böhmermann unveiled.
It has so far been open whether the publication will have legal consequences for Böhmermann or ZDF. The fact is also that the “ZDF Magazin Royale” has its broadcasting contributions examined in advance. So the right YouTuber should have little chance of defending themselves against “doxing”.