Inside the scandal facing the YouTube king

Half a billion fans, a multi-million dollar personal fortune and a global business empire.

It would take a lot to dethrone YouTube’s biggest influencer Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast.

But a 54-page court document may be his toughest test yet.

Five contestants for Prime Video’s upcoming show, Beast Games, are take legal action against his production company MrB2024 and Amazon in Los Angeles.

Billed as the biggest reality TV show ever made, 1,000 contestants are competing to win a $5 million (£3.7 million) prize when the show airs – or if it airs at all. The lawsuit has plunged the show into crisis.

Among the many redacted pages, the legal document includes allegations that they “particularly and collectively suffered” in an environment that “systematically fostered a culture of misogyny and sexism.”

This strikes at the heart of MrBeast’s image as one of the nicest guys on the internet.

I skimmed through the document, which suggests that participants were “undernourished and overtired.” Meals were served “sporadically and sparingly,” which “endangered the health and well-being” of competitors, it says.

In a section where nearly all of the allegations are redacted from public view, it states that the defendants “created, permitted and fostered a culture, pattern and practice of sexual harassment, including in the form of a hostile work environment.”

Last August, The New York Times spoke to more than a dozen participants in the show (not yet aired) and reported that there had been “several hospitalizations” on the set, with one person telling the newspaper that they had gone more than 20 hours without being fed.

The candidates also claimed that they did not receive their medication on time.

The BBC has contacted MrBeast and Amazon – he has yet to make a public comment.

Will these latest allegations harm the popularity of the YouTube king?

MrBeast is no stranger to controversy this year – and has managed to escape unscathed every time.

In July, the 26-year-old American said he had hired investigators after his former co-host Ava Kris Tyson was arrested. accused of manipulating a teenage girl.

Ava denied the allegations, but apologized for her “past behavior” which was “not acceptable.”

MrBeast said he was “disgusted” by the “serious allegations”.

Subsequently, further allegations of business practices surfaced on an anonymous YouTube channel claiming to be a former employee. The BBC has not been able to independently verify these allegations or the identity of this person.

Some of his philanthropic efforts – such as building wells in Africa and funding surgeries for the visually and hearing impaired – have drawn criticism for being exploitative.

“Deaf people like me deserve better than MrBeast’s latest porn inspiration,” one person told the Independent last year.

But his empire continues to grow. On the eve of the trial, on Wednesday, he revealed that he was partnering with other celebrities including KSI and Logan Paul on a new food line intended to compete with Lunchables.

And as I wrote in an article about his meteoric rise last yearHe earned his millions through hard work.

His videos are big-budget experiments, the most popular of which has been viewed 652 million times. Recreate Netflix’s Hit Game Squid Game in Real Life with a price tag of $456,000 (£342,000).

Most of his philanthropic actions are less controversial – including donations of houses, money and cars – which has helped create an image as one of the internet’s good guys.

According to its website, it has delivered more than 25 million meals to the needy around the world.

People continue to flock to his social media. In June, he gained enough followers to make his The world’s largest YouTube channel.

According to Socialblade Stats CheckerMrBeast has gained an additional five million subscribers in the last 30 days alone.

This is just one measure among others: we cannot know how many people have unsubscribed from his channel, for example.

What is certain is that the number of people who actively decided to stop watching his videos was eclipsed by those who decided to subscribe.

He wouldn’t be the only YouTuber whose popularity has weathered controversy – others have weathered far bigger storms than MrBeast, and few have faced much consequence beyond a public apology.

Logan Paul faced massive backlash in 2018 after he shared a video to his 15 million followers showing the body of a person who had apparently committed suicide.

After deleting the original video, He shared an apology that lasted less than two minutes simply titled: “I’m so sorry.”

He now has 23 million subscribers, owns an incredibly popular sports drink, and was the WWE United States Champion until August. He has also competed in numerous pay-per-view boxing matches.

Other prominent YouTubers including Pewdiepie, James Charles and Jeffree Star have all had their own controversies and continued their careers after uploading apology videos.

A more modern example is Herschel “Guy” Beahm, known online as Dr Disrespect, who admitted to sending messages to “a minor” in 2017.

He stressed that “nothing illegal happened, no photos were shared, no crime was committed” and went offline for two months after posting the statement.

His return to live earlier this month attracted over three million views, despite criticism from other high-profile streamers.

Dr Disrespect remains the second most-watched streamer in the US this year, according to Streams Charts.

The fact is, YouTubers tend to be forgiven quickly.

As MrBeast’s fan base continues to grow, controversy rages once again – and his next move could determine his long-term success.

James Lunn, chief strategy officer at Savvy Marketing, says the star is “in an incredibly unique position” with a “multi-faceted” brand spanning many industries.

“We are indeed in uncharted territory,” he says, and “a proactive approach, addressing issues transparently and ensuring accountability, could protect its brand.”

“The sheer magnitude” of MrBeast’s fame could serve as a buffer against backlash, but the latest lawsuit could be difficult, according to brand expert Catherine Shuttleworth.

“When it comes to its business ventures, especially those that target families and children – like Feastables chocolate bars or Lunchly – that’s a different story,” she says.

“Parents, who often hold the purchasing power, tend to be less tolerant of controversies involving safety, fairness and ethics.”

Back in August 2023, when I wrote about MrBeast, I predicted that he would soon take the YouTube crown despite having half as many subscribers at the time.

He now faces additional challenges as his fame grows, and much of the internet is eagerly awaiting his response to what is, so far, only one version of a complex story.