The world of tech reviews has seen plenty of questionable deals between companies and influencers for years, but it seems Google has finally crossed a line with the Pixel 9. The company’s invite-only Team Pixel program, which gives Pixel products to influencers ahead of public availability, required participating influencers not to showcase Pixel products alongside those of competitors. Anyone who showed a preference for rival phones risked being kicked out of the program. For those looking to enter the world of tech reviews, the new terms meant they had to choose between giving up access or maintaining their integrity.

The edge has independently confirmed screenshots of the clause in this year’s Team Pixel agreement for the new Pixel phones, which various influencers began posting on X and Threads last night. The agreement states that participants are expected to “use the Google Pixel device in place of all competitor mobile devices.” It also states, “If it is found that other brands are favored over the Pixel, we will be required to terminate the relationship between the brand and the manufacturer.” The link to the form appears to have since been disabled.

When asked, Google communications manager Kayla Geier said: The edge “#TeamPixel is a standalone program, separate 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 technical reviewers. We missed the mark with this new language that appeared on the #TeamPixel form yesterday and it has been removed.”

These terms certainly caused confusion on the Internet, as some assumed that these terms referred to all Product testers. However, this is not the case. Google’s official Pixel testing program for publications such as The edge does not require such provisions. (And, to be clear, The edge would never accept such conditions according to our ethics policy.)

What exactly is Team Pixel? Officially, it’s a program run by PR agency 1000heads that provides early devices to influencers and superfans to garner their interest as brand ambassadors. While Google works with 1000heads, it doesn’t run the program directly, and there are notable differences from the traditional testing program. For example, in the official testing program, journalists and influencers are often briefed before or during an event and receive embargoed products. Team Pixel participants receive the devices shortly after launch, but before the public – all in exchange for some social media coverage. For smaller developers, this can be a huge advantage in terms of access.

“I joined the program over five years ago because it was a great way to get a phone relatively early or on time, which is a big deal in the review world,” says founder Adam Matlock, who writes tech reviews 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 means to grow their channels or as a way to become future reviewers and journalists, but the new Team Pixel terms feel 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 clarified on X that he is not part of the Team Pixel program and does not have to submit to these terms. The edge spoke to other independent testers and freelance tech journalists who say they have been accepted into the Team Pixel program for review devices in the past. For members of the latter group, the new arrangement is a threat to their integrity and livelihood. Matlock says he has since left the Team Pixel program due to the new conditions.

YouTuber Kevin Nether, who runs the channel The Tech Ninja, also says the clause prompted him to leave the Team Pixel program. “As someone who tests technology for a living, I work with many brands. Being pushed into a single product – that doesn’t work for me and I don’t want to be part of that.”

Nether reiterates that he has never seen this type of condition in previous Team Pixel surveys. Typically, he says, the survey gauges a developer’s interest in various topics, such as sports or fashion, to identify areas for collaboration. In the past, he has made it clear to Team Pixel representatives that he will test the device as usual outside of a mandatory post. Nether also says this exclusivity condition is atypical. When brands demand exclusivity from developers or brand ambassadors, they usually offer payment, have clear disclosure rules and limited timelines.

Influencer is a broad term that encompasses all types of creatives. Many influencers adhere to strict ethical standards, but many do not. The problem is that there are no guidelines to follow, and consumers have limited knowledge of whether what they read or see was paid for in any way. The FTC is taking some steps to curb fake and misleading online reviews, but as things currently stand, it can be difficult for the average person to distinguish a genuine review from a marketing review. While the Team Pixel program did not cause this mess, it is a sobering reflection of the murky state of online reviews.