monthly summary · January 2018
2018-01 summary
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Retained summaries use the transcript wording and speaker assignments available when they were generated. Later transcript or speaker corrections may not yet be reflected in the prose. Source links open the currently released transcript.
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Overview
January 2018 videos center on Daniel's relationship with his Japanese girlfriend and its strains. These include marriage and visa deliberation early in the month, his girlfriend finding his channel, a conflict over a livestream, a night outside, and his agreement to stop criticizing her in videos.
Online security and harassment appear throughout. Daniel reported a catfishing and extortion attempt involving explicit media and an unauthorized Google sign-in traced to Nagano, and he described past doxxing and workplace contact.
Source recordings (2)
Daniel also discussed social anxiety, a lack of friends and his avoidance habits, along with lighter content: natto tasting, complaints about Japan, a camera purchase and skin care.
His channel strategy covered monetization goals for a second channel, commentary and mukbang ideas, an employment-themed video, and a dispute-related video about Ben Deen.
Source recordings (3)
Themes
Marriage, visa options and the future of the relationship with his girlfriend.
Source recordings (2)
Girlfriend's reactions to his channel, and the conditions she set on his videos.
Catfishing, extortion, account intrusion, doxxing and impersonation.
Self-described social anxiety, avoidance and friendship.
Skin, camera purchase, monetization and household costs.
Source recordings (2)
Japanese food and daily-life complaints.
YouTube drama and commentary involving Ben Deen and Logan Paul.
Source recordings (2)
Developments
In videos dated 2018-01-02 and 2018-01-03, Daniel discussed his girlfriend raising marriage so he could stay in Japan, weighed visa and income rules, and proposed that viewers vote with likes and dislikes.
Source recordings (1)
In a video dated 2018-01-03, Daniel considered making a commentary video about Logan Paul and rehearsed typical commentary elements.
Source recordings (1)
In a video dated 2018-01-05, Daniel described having no friends and treating friendships as transactional.
Source recordings (1)
In a video dated 2018-01-08, Daniel addressed Ben Deen's month-long absence, referred to Ben's kidnapping and identity-theft claim, and recorded a mukbang to fill the gap.
Source recordings (1)
In a video dated 2018-01-09, Daniel presented an employment-seeking video for a return to England and described past workplace misconduct.
Source recordings (1)
In two videos dated 2018-01-10, Daniel tried fermented soybeans (natto) and disliked them.
In a video dated 2018-01-15, Daniel responded to comments doubting his social anxiety, distinguishing online contact from in-person strangers and describing meetings with other YouTubers and two disliked club visits.
Source recordings (1)
In videos dated 2018-01-15 and 2018-01-16, Daniel described being catfished by a persona called Jun Shigeta after sending explicit media, then receiving an extortion message.
Source recordings (1)
In videos dated 2018-01-18 and 2018-01-19, Daniel showed his unfiltered skin, discussed his new Canon G5X and asked viewers to help his second channel meet monetization thresholds.
Source recordings (2)
In a video dated 2018-01-22, Daniel said his girlfriend found his channel by searching his name and confirmed the search result himself.
Source recordings (1)
In a video dated 2018-01-24, Daniel listed his grievances about living in Japan, including food, noise and television comedy.
Source recordings (1)
In a video dated 2018-01-26, Daniel left the apartment in snow after a major conflict over his girlfriend watching his livestream.
Source recordings (1)
In videos dated 2018-01-28 and 2018-01-29, Daniel spent a night outdoors, agreed to stop criticizing his girlfriend in videos, and returned to the apartment to find his gear intact.
Source recordings (1)
In videos dated 2018-01-30 and 2018-01-31, Daniel reported an unauthorized Windows sign-in to his Google account traced to Nagano from January 13 to 20, with no observed data changes, and described his security responses.
Source recordings (2)
Uncertainties & gaps
How the unauthorized device bypassed two-factor authentication, why it stayed idle and who was behind it are unknown. Daniel doubted but did not rule out his ex-girlfriend or current girlfriend.
Source recordings (2)
Whether the extortionist has the girlfriend's contact details, who ran the Jun Shigeta account and whether fans messaging him are genuine all remain unverified.
Source recordings (2)
Whether Daniel will marry, whether the girlfriend was searching for his channel, Japan's income rules and whether his family would visit were unresolved.
Source recordings (1)
The girlfriend's mood and the future of the relationship stayed uncertain, and Daniel weighed returning, leaving or going to Osaka during the conflict.
Ben Deen's reasons for his absence, any effect of Daniel's videos and whether he will return are unknown; the kidnapping account is a contested allegation.
Source recordings (1)
Daniel was undecided about keeping or returning the Canon G5X.
Source recordings (2)
Whether the Logan Paul controversy was planned and whether a commentary video would help Paul remain unresolved.
Source recordings (1)
Explore this period
- Recording · January 2018
Dear future employer
Daniel introduces himself in an employment-seeking video intended for his return to England, highlighting traits such as punctuality, friendliness, and strong customer service skills. Daniel details a history of workplace misconduct across
- Recording · January 2018
I got catfished by a guy [iZESr1H185o]
Daniel engaged in flirty and sexually explicit messaging on LINE with an account named Jun Shigeta after an initial connection through YouTube comments, sending photos of his genitals and masturbation videos despite suspicious warning signs
- Recording · January 2018
i'm being hacked [SNIIqD7gsXc]
An unauthorized Windows device traced to Nagano, Japan, signed into Daniel's Google account beginning January 13 despite two-factor authentication, with no content or data altered or deleted. Daniel questioned if his Japanese ex-girlfriend
- Recording · January 2018
Why I Hate Having Social Anxiety
Self-described social anxiety complicates daily life across transit, communication, retail, and dining contexts, causing discomfort with phone calls and speaking on public transit. Retail and dining interactions are routinely minimized thro
- Recording · January 2018
Why I Hated Living in Japan [KiN6lKKUESs]
Living in Japan for over two years involves several minor grievances despite the overall experience not being hated. Japanese cuisine receives a 6 out of 10 rating on the Daniel Food Scale, ranked below Korean and Chinese food, with strong
- Recording · January 2018
Logan Paul - absolutely sickening
Daniel considers making a video about Logan Paul to acquire views by following formulaic commentary tropes, noting the widespread creator discussion surrounding Paul filming and uploading footage of a deceased body in Japan's suicide forest
- Recording · January 2018
I'M THE NEW BEN DEEN!
Daniel addressed YouTuber Ben Deen regarding Ben's month-long absence following a series of exchanges involving Daniel's critique of Ben out of jealousy, a video by Ben alleging kidnapping and identity theft, an apology by Daniel, and a sub
- Recording · January 2018
DON'T TELL ME I DON'T HAVE SOCIAL ANXIETY!!
Critical comments asserting that meeting women from online platforms, recording personal videos, and socializing contradict having self-described social anxiety are addressed. Communicating online and speaking privately to a phone or camera
- Recording · January 2018
How I got rid of my acne
Daniel discloses that his clear appearance in previous videos stemmed from beauty filters, high brightness, and low bitrate resolution, and subsequently displays his real skin on camera, discussing his history with acne since age 16 and how
- Recording · January 2018
[2018-01-03] Should I get married [7N77mKjwu8o]
Daniel weighed an unexpected conversation with his girlfriend concerning their future, his potential March departure from Japan, and marrying after two months of dating so he could remain in Japan. Daniel deliberated the visa logistics, cos
- Recording · January 2018
My girlfriend found my YouTube channel...
Daniel discovered that his girlfriend located his YouTube channel, Hiding in My Room, by searching his full name, raising concerns regarding search algorithms connecting his family name to his content without his explicit use of it, as well
- Recording · January 2018
Update on my cürrent situation
After receiving a message from his girlfriend instructing him to find a hotel and stay away from the apartment, Daniel avoided paying for lodging, walked the streets until roughly 2 AM, and spent the cold night in a public park. Rather than
- Recording · January 2018
Trying Natto - Japanese food - Mukbang ASMR [7oGOZU465sI]
Daniel unpackages and prepares fermented soybeans costing ¥90 for three packs, observing their sticky, web-like texture, soft feel, and sweet coffee-like aroma before mixing in the included sauce and mustard. Upon tasting the fermented soyb
- Recording · January 2018
The most disgusting food in Japan - Natto
Daniel samples a pack of fermented soybeans during a mukbang, detailing the packaging, condiments, reputed health benefits, and unpalatable taste and texture. Daniel recalls a past experience of an ex-girlfriend serving the soybeans with ra
- Recording · January 2018
[2018-01-29] I spent all night in a Japanese park [J9gPQNWezCU]
Daniel stayed outdoors overnight in a park to avoid hotel expenses following his girlfriend's instruction not to return to her place, ultimately choosing not to abandon their relationship or his electronics. After agreeing by message to sto
- Recording · January 2018
I have terrible skin [xHXxuKkEwi0]
Daniel addresses his skin insecurities and acne scars after previously using beauty filters, elevated brightness, and lower bitrate resolution to conceal them. Commercial treatments were ineffective, and he now relies on water, a towel, and
- Recording · January 2018
I got catfished by a guy
Daniel fell victim to an online setup orchestrated under the persona Jun Shigeta, an alleged Australian-Japanese woman who engaged him in flirtatious exchanges and acquired explicit photos and masturbation videos from him. After Daniel halt
- Recording · January 2018
Should I get married
Daniel discussed a conversation with his Japanese girlfriend about getting married so he can stay in Japan rather than return to England for several months, while weighing the benefits and downsides of marriage after dating for two months.
- Recording · January 2018
i'm being hacked
Daniel discovered an unauthorized Windows computer locating to Nagano, Japan signed into and synced with his Google account between January 13 and January 20 despite two-factor authentication, with no observed harm to his account data or Yo
- Recording · January 2018
my girlfriend kicked me out
Daniel leaves his apartment into the freezing snow carrying essential items including his passport, phone, and Wi-Fi device after a major domestic conflict triggered by his girlfriend watching his YouTube livestream. While walking outside i
- Recording · January 2018
Why I Have No Friends [WnbrbvmclHc]
Daniel has no friends, isolates in his apartment, limits his interactions primarily to family and a girlfriend, and views friendships as transactional investments that require clear benefits or sexual potential. Reflections on past relation