Watchly Safety Review

Flying Phone Scam Exposed (so I built a REAL one)

10:57 · 71.4M views · September 27, 2018

Minor FlagsReviewed June 2026

6Minor Flags

Mark Rober expertly debunks a viral scam video claiming to show a flying phone case, teaching viewers about physics, engineering principles, and how to spot fake videos through critical thinking. This is educational STEM content at its best, with mild humor and a strong ethical message about honesty in content creation.

Content Breakdown · 6 Categories

Strong & Crude LanguageA little

Contains one mild profanity abbreviation 'BS' used in context of calling out fraudulent content. The usage is not gratuitous but rather part of legitimate criticism.

See evidence (1)

“this is total BS”~1:30 (approximate, during explanation of scam)

Realistic Violence, Threats & WeaponsA little

Contains brief comedic sound effects of gun cocking and firing, used as a stylistic transition device rather than depicting actual violence. The context is clearly humorous/theatrical, not threatening.

See evidence (1)

“(gun cocks) Let's do this. (gun fires)”~1:20 (transition after explaining the scam)

Hidden Advertising & Sponsored ContentA little

Contains disclosed promotional content for creator's own companies (CrunchLabs, Wix.com). The promotions are transparently presented as the creator's own ventures. The video criticizes UNDISCLOSED affiliate links used by the scammer, which is educational rather than problematic.

See evidence (3)

“I started a company called CrunchLabs where we build a toy together”~1:15 (CrunchLabs mention)

“I'll put all the details on a new site I built using wix.com”~8:30 (end promotion)

“check out the current promotion where you get 2 FREE boxes at https://crunchlabs.com”

Parasocial & Emotional ManipulationA little

Contains mild community-building language ('my people') but in a protective educational context rather than manipulative. The creator positions himself as defender of aspiring engineers, which could be seen as fostering parasocial connection, but it's minimal and not exploitative.

See evidence (1)

“aspiring engineers are my people and you don't mess with my people”~1:18

Engagement Baiting & Manipulative CTAsA little

Contains standard YouTube promotional CTAs for the creator's educational product (CrunchLabs) and channel subscription requests. These are straightforward commercial promotions rather than manipulative guilt-tripping or superstition-based tactics.

See evidence (2)

“You should also go subscribe to the CrunchLabs YouTube”~8:30 (end segment)

“check out the current promotion where you get 2 FREE boxes”

Playful & Fantasy ViolenceA little

Contains brief comedic/theatrical sound effects (gun cocking and firing) used as a stylistic transition, and playful snowball fight at the very end. All violence is clearly stylized, consequence-free, and used for comedic effect.

See evidence (2)

“(gun cocks) Let's do this. (gun fires)”~1:20 (gun sound effects)

“(children yelling) (snowballs striking) (Mark yelps)”~8:45 (snowball fight ending)

What Parents Need to Know

This video contains excellent educational content about physics, engineering, and media literacy. There are a few brief moments where toy guns make sound effects and some mild language ("BS" is used once), but the overall message is positive and teaches critical thinking. Mark Rober collaborates with other educational creators to demonstrate real engineering principles and expose online scams that target aspiring young engineers. The content encourages scientific thinking and ethical behavior online.

Talk to Your Kids About

1Ask your child what they learned about how drones actually work and why the fake video couldn't be real
2Discuss why it's wrong to scam people online, especially when targeting kids who want to learn and build things
3Talk about how to spot fake videos and why critical thinking is important when watching content online
4Explore what your child found most interesting about the real engineering solution Mark built

Flying Phone Scam Exposed (so I built a REAL one)

Protected Viewing

What's This Video About?

Don't mess with my people. I saw this video on Twitter and YouTube recently of a guy who modified his phone case with propellers. Having a background in engineering it was pretty clear to me that it wasn't real but it seemed like most people believed it. This was especially irksome give that he was selling the items in the desc using affiliate links. So I did a deep dive on every last possible clue proving it was fake. ALSO, see how I make all my builds: https://markroberbuildinstructions.com Captain Disillusions's video: https://youtu.be/PI4EszMsYy4 Peter's build video: https://youtu.be/ASYGnaQ9sHI Camera man credit: Luke Hale I started a company called CrunchLabs where we build a toy together and then I teach you all the jucy physics for how it works. So if you want to learn to think like an engineer and have really fun time doing it, check out the current promotion where you get 2 FREE boxes at https://crunchlabs.com You should also go subscribe to the CrunchLabs YouTube channel cause we’ve got some bangers in the pipeline- https://www.youtube.com/crunchlabs Thanks to these folks for providing some of the music in the video: Ponder - https://youtube.com/@Pondermusic Laura Shigihara - @supershigi Andrew Applepie - https://soundcloud.com/andrewapplepie Blue Wednesday - https://soundcloud.com/bluewednesday MERCH (all proceeds go to NEXT for Autism): They are soft- https://teespring.com/stores/markrober

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this video appropriate for elementary school kids interested in science?

Yes, this is excellent educational content for kids interested in STEM. Mark Rober explains complex physics concepts in an accessible way while teaching media literacy and ethical behavior. The mild language and toy gun sound effects are brief and not concerning in this educational context.

Does this video teach kids how to build dangerous devices?

No, the video actually does the opposite—it exposes a fake viral video and explains why the device shown wouldn't work. When Mark builds a real version, he works with an experienced engineer and emphasizes proper safety and engineering principles. This teaches responsible making and building.

Will my child understand the physics concepts explained?

Kids ages 8 and up can grasp the main ideas, though younger viewers may not understand every detail. The video uses clear demonstrations and analogies (like balancing a shovel) to make concepts accessible. It's great for sparking interest in engineering even if kids don't follow every technical point.

Is there any inappropriate content I should know about?

The content is very clean overall. There's one use of "BS" when discussing the scam, brief toy gun sound effects for comedic emphasis, and some playful snowball throwing at the end. These moments are minor and don't detract from the strong educational and ethical message.

What educational value does this video provide?

This video teaches physics principles (thrust, force, feedback loops), engineering design, critical thinking skills for spotting fake videos, and the importance of honesty in content creation. It's an excellent example of how to approach problems scientifically and why integrity matters in the maker community.

Does this video promote any products or contain advertising?

Mark mentions using Wix.com for a website and there are brief Amazon affiliate link references when explaining the scam, but these are minimal and contextual. The video's primary focus is education and debunking, not promotion. This is honest, transparent content from an established educational creator.

What age is "Flying Phone Scam Exposed (so I built a REAL one)" appropriate for?

Watchly's safety review recommends "Flying Phone Scam Exposed (so I built a REAL one)" for ages 8 and up. See the content breakdown above for the category-by-category findings behind this recommendation.