MrBeast and the Escalation of YouTube Stunts: What Parents Need to Know
If you have kids between ages 7-17, you've probably heard the name MrBeast approximately 47,000 times. Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, is the most-subscribed individual YouTuber on the planet with over 250 million subscribers. His videos feature increasingly elaborate stunts: giving away private islands, burying himself alive for seven days, recreating Squid Game with a $456,000 prize, spending 50 hours in solitary confinement, and building 100 wells in Africa.
Here's the thing that's tricky for us as parents: MrBeast's content sits in this weird space where it's simultaneously incredibly generous (he's given away over $100 million) and potentially problematic in ways that aren't immediately obvious. And he's not alone—he's part of a broader YouTube ecosystem where creators are locked in an arms race of increasingly extreme stunts to capture attention.
The question isn't really "Is MrBeast bad?" It's more: "What is this teaching my kids about content, money, attention, and what it takes to be successful?"
Let's be real—MrBeast's content is designed to be irresistible to kids (and honestly, to all of us). Here's why it works:
The scale is mind-blowing. Everything is bigger, longer, more expensive than anything else on the platform. When every other creator is doing a $100 challenge, MrBeast is doing a $1,000,000 challenge. It makes regular life feel... small.
It's actually well-produced. Unlike a lot of YouTube content, MrBeast videos have legitimate production value. They're edited like TV shows, with pacing that keeps even short attention spans engaged.
The generosity feels good. Kids genuinely love watching someone give away money, help people, and do good deeds. There's something appealing about a "rich person doing good things" narrative, especially to kids who don't yet have the framework to think critically about wealth, philanthropy, and systemic change.
It's everywhere. With the sheer volume of content MrBeast produces, plus his expansion into YouTube Shorts, gaming channels, reaction channels, and even a physical restaurant chain (MrBeast Burger), it's nearly impossible for kids to avoid his content if they're online at all.
Here's where things get complicated. MrBeast didn't invent extreme YouTube stunts, but he's definitely perfected—and escalated—the formula. And the problem with escalation is that it never stops escalating.
The attention economy demands more. Each video has to be bigger than the last to maintain views. What happens when you've already given away a private island? You give away multiple private islands. You bury yourself alive longer. You make the challenges more extreme. There's no natural ceiling.
Other creators are copying the formula. Kids aren't just watching MrBeast—they're watching dozens of creators trying to replicate his success with varying levels of resources and ethics. Some are doing "MrBeast-style" giveaways that are actually scams. Others are doing dangerous stunts without proper safety measures.
It's changing kids' expectations. When your reference point for "normal content" is someone casually giving away $100,000, everything else feels boring. This can affect how kids value their own creative efforts, how they think about money, and what they believe it takes to be "successful" online.
The parasocial relationship is intense. MrBeast's brand is built on seeming accessible and relatable despite his massive wealth. Kids feel like they know him, like they could be his friend, like they might be randomly selected for a giveaway. Learn more about parasocial relationships and why they matter
.
Ages 7-10: At this age, kids lack the critical thinking skills to understand the production behind these videos. They think what they're seeing is "real" in a way that doesn't account for editing, safety measures, or the business model. If your kids are watching, watch with them and talk about what you're seeing. Ask questions like "How do you think they made this safe?" or "Where do you think all this money comes from?"
Ages 11-14: Middle schoolers are old enough to start understanding the business model but still vulnerable to the aspirational messaging. This is a great age to talk about content creation as a business, how sponsorships work, and why creators need increasingly extreme content. You might explore questions like "What would happen if he just gave away $1,000 instead of $100,000? Would you still watch?"
Ages 15+: Teens can handle more nuanced conversations about wealth, philanthropy, and attention economies. Talk about the difference between individual charity and systemic change, the ethics of filming people receiving help, and what it means that entertainment and generosity have become inseparable.
MrBeast himself isn't the villain here. By most accounts, he's genuinely trying to do good things and create entertaining content. The issue is the system that rewards escalation and the broader implications for kids growing up in this environment.
Your kids are probably watching. Even if you've never heard them mention MrBeast, if they have access to YouTube or social media, they've likely seen his content. It's that ubiquitous.
The "giveaway" culture has a dark side. Lots of scammers use MrBeast's name and format to run fake giveaways that collect personal information or require purchases. Talk to your kids about why real giveaways don't ask for credit card information or require them to download anything.
It's affecting how kids think about money. When you see someone casually give away more money than your parents make in a year, it can warp your understanding of value, work, and wealth. These are worth discussing explicitly.
The comparison trap is real. Kids who want to be content creators might feel like they need expensive equipment, elaborate setups, or money for giveaways to be successful. This is a good time to talk about creativity within constraints and what actually makes content engaging.
MrBeast isn't going anywhere, and neither is the trend toward increasingly extreme YouTube content. Rather than trying to ban it entirely (which, let's be honest, rarely works), our job as parents is to help our kids develop critical thinking skills around what they're watching.
The conversations you have about MrBeast's videos can actually be really valuable—they're a gateway to talking about wealth inequality, the attention economy, the difference between charity and justice, what makes content "worth" watching, and how to be a critical consumer of media.
Watch a video together. Pick one of MrBeast's more recent videos and watch it with your kid. Ask them what they like about it, what surprises them, and whether anything seems weird or concerning.
Talk about the business model. Help your kids understand that MrBeast isn't just giving away his own money—he's running a business where views generate revenue that funds more content. This isn't bad, but it's important context.
Discuss your family's values around money and generosity. What does helping others look like in your family? How is that different from what you see in these videos?
Set some boundaries if needed. If you notice the content is affecting your kid's behavior, expectations, or mood, it's okay to limit it. You might say "We're taking a break from MrBeast videos for a while" and suggest other content instead.
Keep the conversation going. This isn't a one-and-done talk. As the content evolves (and it will), check in regularly about what they're watching and how they're feeling about it.
Remember: You don't have to have all the answers. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is simply say "Wow, this is complicated—what do you think about it?" and actually listen to the response.