LegalEagle Sues Honey Over Alleged Affiliate Link Hijacking

LegalEagle, a prominent YouTube creator and licensed attorney, has launched a class-action lawsuit against Honey, accusing the PayPal-owned extension of undermining affiliate marketing practices. The suit alleges that Honey hijacked affiliate links shared by creators and replaced them with its own, depriving influencers and businesses of rightful earnings.

The accusations stem from a December 2024 exposé by YouTuber MegaLag, who claimed Honey manipulated affiliate codes, favoring its financial gains over creators’ and consumers’ interests. According to MegaLag, Honey partnered with merchants to control coupon visibility, often at the expense of the best available deals. This alleged manipulation also overwrote sponsorship-driven affiliate links, reducing the value of creators' efforts in promoting products.

In his legal filing, LegalEagle described these tactics as "insidious," suggesting Honey may have funneled billions of dollars away from creators. By embedding itself within users’ browsers, the extension allegedly diverted future earnings from influencers, significantly devaluing their sponsorships. LegalEagle is determined to seek damages and secure an injunction to prevent Honey from continuing such practices.

The class-action lawsuit, filed under Wendover Productions, LLC v. PayPal Inc., outlines the mechanics of affiliate marketing and how Honey allegedly disrupted “last click attribution,” a standard practice that credits marketers for sales generated through their links. LegalEagle aims to represent all affected creators and businesses in the lawsuit.

Interested parties are encouraged to join the case through honeylawsuit.com, a platform designed to organize claims against Honey. LegalEagle’s efforts highlight a growing demand for transparency and fairness in digital advertising and affiliate marketing.