As one of the most subscribed YouTube channels, it's extremely difficult not to have heard about Mr. Beast. Even after branching out to a fast food franchise, selling chocolate and other food products, and hosting a game show on Amazon Prime Video, the original Mr. Beast channel remains popular. But, is it actually appropriate for kids?
Mr. Beast's actual name is Jimmy Donaldson, and he has been running his YouTube channel since he was 12. He rose to popularity with his challenges and stunt videos, and since becoming a millionaire, has done many philanthropic videos as well. His fame hasn't been without controversy, with criminal allegations against a member of his team and accusations of poor treatment for contestants in his videos. However, the videos themselves are often similar to reality competition shows like Fear Factor and American Ninja Warrior.
Explaining Mr. Beast's 14+ Rating
Common Sense Media rated the Mr. Beast channel as 14+ due to some crude language and a focus on materialism, including product placement and cash prizes for competitions. Some parents worry that the videos may inspire a sense of selfishness and greed. They say that Mr. Beast flaunts his wealth. But kids and teens argue that he is actually a good influence, as he uses his money to help people access medical care and other good causes.
Sex & Nudity: There is no sex or nudity as that would violate YouTube's standards and get the channel demonetized. Mr. Beast would not risk his millionaire income for that. Plus, his content isn't the type of video that would ever need any sexual or nude scenes.
Language: Mr. Beast's older videos and some short videos may have swearing that goes uncensored, but more recent ones are clean. Mr. Beast and his friends sometimes make immature remarks about male body parts, as is often the humor of their teenage audience.
Violence & Gore: There isn't any actual violence or gore. Even in his Squid Games video, contestants competed in silly but safe versions of the challenges.
Alcohol & Drugs: There is no alcohol or drugs in any of Mr. Beast's main channel videos. However, there are sometimes indirect references to alcoholic drinks. And, in some short videos, Mr. Beast can be seen drinking alcohol with other YouTubers.
Overall verdict
While some parents might take issue with Mr. Beast as an individual and things that happened behind the scenes, the fact is that his videos are made for kids to enjoy. The humor can sometimes be geared toward immature teens, so it is probably better for older kids. But it doesn't have anything overtly inappropriate for younger kids to see.
The themes of the videos can feel repetitive, and adults will probably cringe when they think about how much money was wasted by blowing up a freight train or igniting a sports car for views. But, there are always safety checks in place, leaving the videos fun and interesting for the kids who watch them.
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