PowNed takes down video of Taylor Swift fans tricked into exposing themselves

Dutch broadcaster PowNed has taken a controversial video offline that featured Taylor Swift fans who were tricked into either flashing parts of their body, or engaging in other acts for the false promise of meeting the singer. Dozens of complaints were filed about the video, "Gillende meisjes worden sletjes voor Taylor Swift," which translates as "Screaming girls turn into sluts for Taylor Swift."

In one clip, a fan showed her breasts in exchange for a meet-and-greet with Swift. It turned out that there was no such meeting planned. Another young woman kissed a stranger in exchange for the supposed meeting.

The women were not blurred in the on-camera appearance. The woman who showed her breasts said afterwards that she did not want to the video posted online.

The broadcaster indicated that it crossed a boundary. "PowNews is made by and for young people and has been operating at the cutting edge for almost 15 years", the broadcaster stated. "The most beautiful flowers grow on the edge of the abyss. But sometimes you fall over the edge. This is also the case with the video about the Taylor Swift fans. And then you have to take a good look at yourself. That is why we have decided, after internal discussion, to take this item offline."

Multiple complaints were filed about the video with the Dutch media authority, Commissariaat voor de Media. One of those complainants is WOMEN inc. The advocacy group stated that "the girls" are not "sluts," and said that the PowNed video crossed a line. Margo Smit, the ombudsman for the public broadcasting system, also received approximately 70 reports about the item.

PowNed broadcasting boss Dominique Weesie responded that everyone is free to file a complaint. He also said earlier that he would not take the video offline.