MrBeast on Criticism of Charity Videos: 'Yes, Ideally a YouTuber Isn’t the One Fixing These Issues'

MrBeast agrees that governments should be the ones stepping up to help solve various crises around the world, but that’s not going to stop him from doing the work such institutions consistently fail to do.

In a recent update to X, a once-great platform perhaps still best known as Twitter, the 26-year-old YouTube star addressed the criticism he’s occasionally faced in connection with his own philanthropic efforts, which in the past have led to videos focused on those suffering from curable blindness and those in need of clean water, among other charity-minded projects.

While some have questioned why these efforts have fallen under the purview of a prominent YouTuber, MrBeast sees things a little differently, arguing that he simply can’t "do nothing" when he has such an impactful presence on the current media landscape.

"When we help people (curing 1000 blind people, building 100 houses, 100 wells, etc.) people get mad and say I shouldn’t be doing this and governments should," he said over the weekend. "Yes, ideally a YouTuber isn’t the one fixing these issues but I’m not just gonna stand by and do nothing."

MrBeast’s latest video, released June 29, sees the Team Trees and Team Seas co-founder having 100 homes built and then giving them away to families in need. The video has since amassed just under 60 million views.

"Each home is going to change a family’s life," the YouTuber, born James Donaldson, said in the nine-minute video.

After the video's release, one viewer questioned the effect this project would have on builders in the areas where he erected and donated the homes. Specifically, a claim was made that the philanthropic endeavor might put such workers "out of business" entirely.

"Or, crazy idea, I paid those builders to build these homes," MrBeast said in response.