Anika Begay
The world of tech reviews has been rife with shady deals between companies and influencers for years, but it looks like Google has finally crossed a line with the Pixel 9. The company’s invitation-only Team Pixel program, which distributes Pixel products to influencers before they’re available to the public, stipulated that participating influencers weren’t allowed to showcase Pixel products alongside competitors, and those who showed a preference for competing phones risked being kicked out of the program. For those hoping to break into the tech review world, the new terms meant they had to choose between staying in or maintaining their integrity.
The limit has independently confirmed screenshots of the clause in this year’s Team Pixel agreement for new Pixel phones, which various influencers began posting to X and Threads last night. The agreement tells participants that they “must submit the Google Pixel device in lieu of any competing mobile device.” It also notes that “if it appears that other brands are being preferred over the Pixel, we will have to terminate the relationship between the brand and the creator.” The link to the form appears to have since been closed.
When asked, Google communications manager Kayla Geier responded The limit that “#TeamPixel is a separate program from our press and creator review programs. The goal of #TeamPixel is to get Pixel devices into the hands of content creators, not press and engineering reviewers. We missed the mark with this new language that appeared in the #TeamPixel module yesterday, and it has been removed.”
These terms have certainly created confusion online, with some assuming that these terms applied to All product reviewers. However, that is not the case. Google’s official Pixel review program for publications like The limit does not require such clauses. (And, to be clear, The limit (We would never accept such terms, in accordance with our ethics policy.)
So what exactly is Team Pixel? Officially, it’s a program run by PR agency 1000heads that sends early units to influencers and superfans to drum up buzz as brand ambassadors. While Google partners with 1000heads, it doesn’t directly run the program, and there are some distinct differences from the traditional review program. For example, journalists and influencers in the official review program are often notified and given embargoed products before or during an event. Team Pixel participants get devices shortly after launch but before the general public, all in exchange for some social media coverage. For smaller creators, this can be a big advantage in terms of access.
“I joined the program over five years ago because it was a great way to get a phone and relatively early or on time, which is important in the review world,” says creator Adam Matlock, who reviews tech on his YouTube channel TechOdyssey. Matlock says there was no requirement before, other than using the hashtags #teampixel or #giftfromgoogle to comply with FTC disclosure requirements. Matlock and others saw Team Pixel as a way to grow their channels or a path to becoming future reviewers and journalists, but Team Pixel’s new terms seem aggressive in a new way that many found uncomfortable, especially since Google’s approach to defining “press,” “tech reviewer,” and “content creator” seems arbitrary.
Popular tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee posted on X clarifying that he is not part of the Team Pixel program and is not bound by its terms. Meanwhile, The limit spoke to other independent reviewers and freelance tech journalists who say they have been lumped into the Team Pixel program for review drives in the past. For those in the latter group, the new clause is a threat to their integrity and livelihood. Matlock says he left the Team Pixel program because of the new terms.
YouTuber Kevin Nether, who runs the channel The Tech Ninja, also says the clause caused him to leave the Team Pixel program. “As a tech reviewer for a living, I work with a lot of brands. Being restricted to one product is not for me and is not something I want to be a part of.”
Nether echoes that he has never seen this type of clause in previous Team Pixel surveys. Typically, he says, the survey gauges a creator’s interest in various topics, such as sports or fashion, to identify areas for collaboration. In the past, he says he made it clear to Team Pixel representatives that outside of a mandatory post, he would review the device as usual. Nether also says this exclusivity term is atypical. Typically, when brands require exclusivity from creators or brand ambassadors, they will offer payment, have clear disclosure rules, and have limited timelines.
Influencer is a broad term that encompasses all types of creators. Many influencers adhere to strict ethical standards, but many do not. The problem is that there are no guidelines to follow and limited disclosure to help consumers if what they are reading or watching has been paid for in some way. The FTC is taking some steps to curb fake and misleading reviews online, but as it stands, it can be difficult for the average person to spot a genuine review from marketing. The Team Pixel program didn’t create this mess, but it is a serious reflection of the murky state of online reviews.
