Honey, a browser extension owned by PayPal, is currently facing significant scrutiny for its practices related to online couponing. The controversy began when YouTuber MegaLag posted a video claiming that Honey acts more like a scam, taking money from content creators while failing to provide real savings for users.
This was further escalated in January when attorney Devin Stone from the Legal Eagle YouTube channel filed a lawsuit against Honey, echoing the allegations made by MegaLag. The accusations against Honey focus on two main issues.
First, it has been suggested that the extension often fails to secure the best deals for users, with many coupon codes that could easily be found through a simple Google search being overlooked. Instead, Honey is accused of inserting its own coupons, which may not offer the best savings.
Second, one of the most contentious allegations claims that Honey redirects referral revenue from content creators by inserting its own affiliate links into transactions, even when it doesn’t find any applicable coupons for users. In response to the allegations, Google has updated its policies concerning Chrome extensions to prevent abuse in affiliate programs.
The new guidelines specify that affiliate links and codes should only be used when they provide a clear and direct benefit to users that is related to the extension’s main functionality—an area where Honey seems to falter according to critics. Despite the ongoing controversy and Google’s new policy changes, Honey remains available for download on the Chrome Web Store.
The long-term implications of these developments on Honey’s operations are still unclear, leaving users and creators watching closely.
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