PayPal’s Honey Extension Accused of Deceptive Practices and Affiliate Link Hijacking

A YouTube investigation alleges that Honey misleads users, steals affiliate revenue from influencers, and prioritizes its own interests over consumers and creators.

YouTuber MegaLag released a viral exposé accusing the Honey browser extension, owned by PayPal, of unethical practices, including hijacking affiliate links to redirect commissions to itself.
The investigation claims Honey swaps out affiliate links from influencers, denying them rightful commissions, even when the extension fails to find valid discount codes.
Honey allegedly prioritizes coupon codes from its retail partners over better deals available elsewhere, misleading consumers about potential savings.
PayPal defended Honey’s practices, citing adherence to 'last-click attribution' rules, but critics argue this is exploitative and undermines influencers' efforts.
Prominent YouTubers like Linus Tech Tips previously ended partnerships with Honey over these issues, but the revelations have now sparked widespread backlash among creators and users.