Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak sues YouTube over Bitcoin scam, cites wider deepfake threat
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has sued YouTube over a Bitcoin scam that used his image, warning that similar deepfake fraud schemes are now targeting major tech figures worldwide.
- Aug 12, 2025,
- Updated Aug 12, 2025 12:53 PM IST
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has claimed he was unknowingly made the face of a YouTube bitcoin scam and warned that similar tactics are now fuelling a wave of deepfake fraud targeting high-profile tech figures, including Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.
Speaking to CBS News, Wozniak said scammers repurposed an old video of him discussing bitcoin, then “put a nice frame around it with a Bitcoin address”, promising to double any amount sent. “Of course it’s fraud,” he said.
The scheme came to light when his wife, Janet, received an email from a victim asking when they would get their money back. “Some people said they lost their life savings,” Wozniak told CBS News. “That’s a crime. You know, a good person, if you see a crime happening, you step in and you do something about it. You try to stop it.”
According to Wozniak, YouTube failed to act despite multiple requests. “We never got to YouTube; our lawyer has gotten to their lawyer, that’s all,” he said, adding that Janet’s takedown attempts were ignored. “They wouldn’t,” he added.
Wozniak is now suing YouTube on behalf of the victims. However, the case has been stalled for five years due to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects platforms from liability for user-generated content. “It says that anything gets posted, they have no liability at all. It’s totally absolute,” he said.
Reflecting on the broader issue, Wozniak said the incident underscores how far the internet has strayed from its original ideals. “When the internet really began to be a public thing, it seemed to be there to democratise information,” he said. “Oh, I loved it for that! … And then came the social web and Google. Google had to make money. And the only way to make money is tracking you and selling it to advertisers.”
“There’s not enough real… muscle to fight” scams, he warned, pointing to the billions lost annually to cryptocurrency and AI-related fraud. While he still regards Apple as “the best”, Wozniak said his criticisms rarely gain traction. “Nobody buys my voice,” he said.
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Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has claimed he was unknowingly made the face of a YouTube bitcoin scam and warned that similar tactics are now fuelling a wave of deepfake fraud targeting high-profile tech figures, including Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.
Speaking to CBS News, Wozniak said scammers repurposed an old video of him discussing bitcoin, then “put a nice frame around it with a Bitcoin address”, promising to double any amount sent. “Of course it’s fraud,” he said.
The scheme came to light when his wife, Janet, received an email from a victim asking when they would get their money back. “Some people said they lost their life savings,” Wozniak told CBS News. “That’s a crime. You know, a good person, if you see a crime happening, you step in and you do something about it. You try to stop it.”
According to Wozniak, YouTube failed to act despite multiple requests. “We never got to YouTube; our lawyer has gotten to their lawyer, that’s all,” he said, adding that Janet’s takedown attempts were ignored. “They wouldn’t,” he added.
Wozniak is now suing YouTube on behalf of the victims. However, the case has been stalled for five years due to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects platforms from liability for user-generated content. “It says that anything gets posted, they have no liability at all. It’s totally absolute,” he said.
Reflecting on the broader issue, Wozniak said the incident underscores how far the internet has strayed from its original ideals. “When the internet really began to be a public thing, it seemed to be there to democratise information,” he said. “Oh, I loved it for that! … And then came the social web and Google. Google had to make money. And the only way to make money is tracking you and selling it to advertisers.”
“There’s not enough real… muscle to fight” scams, he warned, pointing to the billions lost annually to cryptocurrency and AI-related fraud. While he still regards Apple as “the best”, Wozniak said his criticisms rarely gain traction. “Nobody buys my voice,” he said.
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