What MrBeast does in many of his videos is a form of philanthropy. That’s the practice of giving money or time to help make life better for others. And he’s certainly not the first famous person to mix it with entertainment. 

    As early as the 1950s, many celebrities performed on telethons. (Telethons are TV programs that raise money for a charity.) People watching from home could call in to make a donation. 

    And in the 1980s, charity songs were popular. Music stars would get together and record a song. Its sales would support an important cause. 

    But MrBeast’s content has changed celebrity philanthropy. His videos can reach millions of viewers in just a few hours. They feature flashy graphics and upbeat music. They have titles that make you want to click, like: “We Rescued Kids Living in a Garbage Dump.” 

    Fans like Madelyn, 14, find these videos fun—and inspiring. She loves knowing that MrBeast is using his money for good. 

    And it’s nice to watch him make other people happy. “His videos make me want to go out and help others in any way that I can,” she says. 

    What MrBeast does in the videos is a type of philanthropy. That means giving money or time to help make life better for others. He’s not the first to mix it with entertainment.

    In the 1950s, many celebrities performed on telethons. (Telethons are TV programs. They raise money for a charity.) People watching could call in to donate.

    In the 1980s, charity songs were popular. Music stars would record a song together. Its sales would go to an important cause.

    But MrBeast’s content has changed celebrity philanthropy. His videos reach millions of viewers in just a few hours. They have flashy graphics and upbeat music. The titles get you to click, like: “We Rescued Kids Living in a Garbage Dump.”

    Fans like Madelyn, 14, find these videos fun—and inspiring. She loves knowing that MrBeast is using his money for good.

    It’s nice seeing him make people happy. “His videos make me want to go out and help others in any way that I can,” she says.

    What MrBeast does in many of his videos is a form of philanthropy. That’s the practice of donating money or giving time to help make life better for others. And he’s certainly not the first famous person to combine philanthropy with entertainment.

    As early as the 1950s, many celebrities performed on a type of TV program called a telethon. This type of show raises money for a charity. People watching one from home could call in to make a donation.

    And in the 1980s, charity songs were popular. Music stars would get together and record a song. The money raised from the song’s sales would be donated to an important cause.

    But MrBeast’s content has changed celebrity philanthropy. His videos can reach millions of viewers in just a few hours. They feature flashy graphics and upbeat music, and they have titles that make you want to click, like: “We Rescued Kids Living in a Garbage Dump.”

    Fans like Madelyn, 14, find these videos fun—and inspiring. She loves knowing that MrBeast is using his money for good.

    And it’s nice to watch him make other people happy. “His videos make me want to go out and help others in any way that I can,” she says.

    That’s probably why MrBeast’s style of videos has taken off. Experts have even given it a name: stunt philanthropy. That’s when creators film themselves giving back in shocking or highly entertaining ways. 

    Take Juan Gonzalez, for example. Like MrBeast, he’s a famous YouTuber. Online, he goes by the name ThatWasEpic. He now has more than 8 million subscribers. In his videos, Gonzalez walks up to strangers on the street. He surprises them with fancy gifts, like iPhones and computers. 

    These videos and others like them definitely help people in need. But they also help the people creating them. Shocking content gets them more views, likes, comments, and subscribers. In the world of social media, this turns into money. 

    At 28 years old, MrBeast is worth about $2.6 billion. Gonzalez, 32, is said to earn up to $30,000 a month from YouTube. 

    That’s why some people wonder: Are these creators doing good because they want to? Or do they just want to get clicks­ ­and cash in?    

    That’s probably why MrBeast’s style of videos has taken off. Experts call it stunt philanthropy. That’s when creators film themselves giving back. But they do it in shocking or highly entertaining ways.

    Like MrBeast, Juan Gonzalez is a famous YouTuber. Online, he goes by the name ThatWasEpic. He has more than 8 million subscribers. In his videos, Gonzalez walks up to strangers. He surprises them with gifts, like iPhones and computers.

    These types of videos help people in need. But they also help the people creating them. Shocking content gets more views, likes, comments, and subscribers. With social media, this turns into money.

    At 28 years old, MrBeast is worth about $2.6 billion. Gonzalez, 32, is said to earn up to $30,000 a month from YouTube.

    That’s why some people wonder: Are these creators doing good because they want to? Or do they just want clicks to cash in?

    That’s probably why MrBeast’s style of videos has taken off. Experts have even given it a name: stunt philanthropy. That’s when creators film themselves giving back in shocking or highly entertaining ways.

    For example, consider Juan Gonzalez, another famous YouTuber like MrBeast. Online, he goes by the name ThatWasEpic, and he now has more than 8 million subscribers. In his videos, Gonzalez walks up to strangers on the street and surprises them with expensive gifts, such as iPhones and computers.

    These videos and others like them definitely help people in need, but they also help the people creating them. Shocking content gets them more views, likes, comments, and subscribers, and in the world of social media, this turns into money.

    At 28 years old, MrBeast is worth about $2.6 billion, and Gonzalez, 32, is believed to earn up to $30,000 a month from YouTube.

    That’s why some people wonder: Are these creators doing good because they want to? Or do they just want to get clicks­ ­and cash in?

    Either way, these videos can be inspiring. Many of them raise awareness for good causes. But they’re designed to keep you watching and scrolling, just like most online content. 

    That’s why it’s important to think critically—and use what you learn in a video to take action. These expert tips can help:

• Ask questions. Why was this video made? Who or what does it help? 

• Dig deeper. Do your own research on causes you care about. For example, why was there so much trash in the ocean in the first place? How can you do something to help fight ocean pollution?

• Get offline. Giving back sometimes means showing up and doing hard work. Chances are you can’t adopt 100 dogs. But you can volunteer at your local animal shelter! 

    Either way, the videos can be inspiring. Many of them help good causes. But they’re designed to keep you watching and scrolling—like most online content.

    That’s why it’s important to think critically. Use what you learn from a video to take action. These expert tips can help:

• Ask questions. Why was this video made? Who or what does it help?

• Dig deeper. Do your own research. For example, why was there so much trash in the ocean? How can you help fight ocean pollution?

• Get offline. Giving back might mean showing up and doing the work. You probably can’t adopt 100 dogs. But you can volunteer at an animal shelter! •

    Either way, these videos can be inspiring, as many of them raise awareness for good causes. But just like most online content, they are designed to keep you watching and scrolling.

    That’s why it’s important to think critically when watching one of these videos—and then use what you learn in the video to take action. These expert tips can help:

• Ask questions. Why was this video made? Who or what does it help?

• Dig deeper. Do your own research on causes you care about. For example, why was there so much trash in the ocean in the first place? How can you do something to help fight ocean pollution?

• Get offline. Giving back sometimes means showing up and doing hard work. Chances are you can’t adopt 100 dogs. But you can volunteer at your local animal shelter! 

_{Special thanks to our experts Genevieve Shaker, a professor of philanthropic studies at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, and Alex Richardson, an ethics educator at DePauw University.}

_{Special thanks to our experts Genevieve Shaker, a professor of philanthropic studies at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, and Alex Richardson, an ethics educator at DePauw University.}

_{Special thanks to our experts Genevieve Shaker, a professor of philanthropic studies at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, and Alex Richardson, an ethics educator at DePauw University.}