Madeline Roy

Jessie Szalay
English 2010-016
8 December 2016
An Open Letter
Dear YouTube Sellouts,
I once truly enjoyed the videos you created showing your everyday life, all of the
ups and downs life brought, the skits you created, prank videos, and now I can hardly
stand to watch your videos. Why, you may ask? The videos that you create have gone
from true genuine content a few times a week down to one video that is sponsored by big
companies or less each week. The YouTube channel you were once passionate about is no
longer there. Most people that have been long time viewers have noticed the changes as
well, some such as the twelve-year-old fans are always there to boost your views and
your confidence in the branded videos.
Dont get me wrong, I am very fascinated with the YouTube world, and the fact
that you, as a content creator, were able to quit your full-time job, and make YouTube a
full time, stay at home position. It is amazing to me that you are able to generate enough
income from making videos to provide for your family.
I have watched you from the beginning, as your channel started off with hardly
any subscribers, working a sucky job, pulling all of the strings to make ends meet for
your family, and then suddenly a viral video hits-you gain subscribers and just like that
sponsorships start rolling in, and suddenly the whole direction and tone of your channel

becomes forced content that you are uploading just to say you uploaded, and the world is
suddenly at your fingertips.
As your channel gained more popularity, and the numbers in your bank account
grew, I watched as a subscriber, while you were buying multiple brand new cars, and a
new mansion to live in, and all of the tropical vacations in the world. Good for you, who
is to say that I wouldnt do that if I were given the opportunity?
I could go on about you as content creators becoming sellouts, but the one thing
that makes me most mad, is when you have hit the big time with subscriber count, viral
videos, and all of the fame, is when you get mad at subscribers for overstepping the
personal bubble, or being critical of the content you are putting out. Why would you get
mad at criticism, or change what content you put out because you dont want the
judgment that is left in the comments? All the criticism may be harsh, but it is what you
signed up for when you posted your very first YouTube video, and as you continue to
upload videos, people arent always going to agree with your life choices. Just this week,
a popular YouTube channel the Shaytards announced that they would be taking a year
off of the Internet. This comes after major success on YouTube, selling his YouTube
Company to Disney for 500 million dollars, writing a book, campaigning for money from
subscribers for a documentary to be made, creating a clothing company, etc. All of these
things all show how successful this channel is, and they are taking a break from the job
that got them out of debt, and led them to fame. There are other channels on YouTube that
have had similar successes and I find it sad that this job that they once had a deep
passion, is now discussed as if it is a big burden, and they have decided to take a break,
because suddenly the work has become too much for them to handle, or so they say.

Over time as your channel grows you have changed and not for the better, you
have become very disingenuous, and act like all of these subscribers are being too
critical, when without them, you wouldnt be able to make YouTube your primary source
of income, or buy all of the fancy things, and live a great life. So please, dont make
excuses for your life, or become so fame ridden that the only content you can put out is
branded. Remember the reason you started YouTube in the first place, and take a slice of
humble pie.
Sincerely,
An annoyed subscriber