Popular YouTuber Felix Kjellberg, aka PewDiePie, got his start by posting gameplay footage and critical reviews of video games.
The 30-year-old has been creating videos for more than ten years and now has a vlog series, comedy videos, music videos, and formatted shows to his belt. And with 104 million subscribers, he has become YouTube’s most popular creator.
It was just earlier this month that Kjellberg inked an exclusive video game broadcasting arrangement with the service. But the YouTube sensation’s massive popularity hasn’t come without controversy.
Kjellberg’s early career was marked by controversial comments and trolling in videos. He then made rape jokes, for which he later apologized on Tumblr, joked about joining ISIS an act that got him temporarily removed from Twitter, referred to female gamers as “dumb Twitch thots,” employed racist insults, and uploaded many videos including anti-semitic rhetoric and Nazi imagery.
Kjellberg discussed his professional trajectory, his “irresponsible” behavior, the fallout from his immense influence, and his objections to being identified with the alt-right in a recent edition of The New York Times “Rabbit Hole” podcast, his first interview with mainstream media in almost two years.
Looking Back, the YouTube Megastar Says, He Was Careless when Pushing the Boundaries of Content Online
Kjellberg noted a change in his content-making strategy between 2015 and 2016 when he began experimenting with “edgier” content than his regular game videos in an effort to distance himself from “child comedy.”
He explained YouTube’s growth by saying, “I think YouTube at the time was at a stage where no one really knew where the limit was” too New York Times reporter Kevin Roose. “It turned into many paths, each one taking it as far as it could go.”
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Surrounded by Die-Hard Fans, He Didn’t Get Much Pushback
I was really careless about it, he thought in retrospect. It’s possible that I didn’t give much thought to the repercussions.
He had little opposition from his devoted following.
“I kind of wish I had gotten some,” he joked to Roose. Everyone is on the same page when “you’re in this environment where people recognize that it’s a joke.”
A 2017 piece in the Wall Street Journal detailed his history of inappropriate content, and the criticism and repercussions for his behavior were long overdue.
Nine of Kjellberg’s films released between August 2016 and February 2017 were found to include “anti-Semitic jokes or Nazi imagery,” according to a devastating analysis published in The Wall Street Journal. Two males brandishing a sign stating “Death to All Jews” went popular online.
Upon first hearing of the forthcoming essay, Kjellberg had doubts about its potential significance.
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The Fallout Was, in fact, a Big Deal
Disney and YouTube severed ties with Kjellberg after the piece was published. The videos were deemed “inappropriate” by Maker Studios, a Disney-owned network associated with Kjellberg’s content at the time, and YouTube kicked him out of its Preferred Advertising Program.
Immediately after the incident, the neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer began openly praising PewDiePie.
Fast and “very distressing,” according to him, the social media backlash was.
“When I log onto Twitter, I see people accusing me of being a fascist, and I find myself wondering, “How is this happening?” The situation is completely insane “He thought back on it.
Kjellberg, looking back, knows that he caused this mess.
He admitted, “Obviously, that wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t pushed it to the limit.”
The negative feedback, however, just increased his popularity among fans.
“What happened was seen as unfair by the public. In light of this, people were eager to show their continued support for the channel “As he elaborated, I understood.
After a tragic event in 2019, Kjellberg was forced to reflect on his impact.
With the hashtag “subscribe to PewDiePie,” which Kjellberg had previously pushed as he pursued the coveted number one position in YouTube subscribers, a 28-year-old Australian man live-streamed his homicidal campaign in Christchurch, New Zealand, killing 50 people.
Kjellberg described his reaction to the attack as a “pit in my gut.” “The news of this was just terrible. Unbelievably, someone would go to such lengths.”
Kjellberg disagrees with the assessment that his actions caused the attack, but he does concede that the incident highlighted the power creators have to influence their audience’s perspectives and the responsibility that comes with having a large fan base.
The YouTuber said that he didn’t have a good grasp on the nature of this duty.
Kjellberg considers himself to be apolitical, despite allegations that he has links to the alt-right.
After a 2017 piece in the Wall Street Journal detailed his history of objectionable content, he finally faced criticism and penalties for his behavior.
Nine of Kjellberg’s films released between August 2016 and February 2017 were found to include “anti-Semitic jokes or Nazi imagery,” according to a devastating analysis published in The Wall Street Journal. Two men brandishing a sign proclaiming “Death to All Jews” went viral after appearing in a video.
Kjellberg didn’t think much of the planned article when he first heard about it.
The repercussions were extremely significant.
Kjellberg lost his jobs at Disney and YouTube once the report came out. YouTube banned Kjellberg from its Preferred Advertisers Program after the Disney-owned Maker Studios, which was associated with his content at the time, deemed the videos “inappropriate.” After the incident, the neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer openly praised PewDiePie.
The response on social media, he claimed, was instant and “very distressing.”
“When I log onto Twitter, I see people accusing me of being a fascist, and I find myself wondering, “How is this happening?” Seriously, this is out of control “They were all things he remembered.
Looking back, Kjellberg knows he caused this mess.
He admitted, “Obviously, that wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t pushed it to the limit.”
In spite of the backlash, he gained even more followers.
“There was a widespread sense among the populace that what had occurred was unfair. In light of this, they were eager to show their continued support for the channel “He elaborated on what had happened.
After a tragic event in 2019, Kjellberg was forced to reflect on his impact.
When a 28-year-old Australian opened fire at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand while live-streaming the event on Facebook, he urged viewers to “subscribe to PewDiePie” – a call to action Kjellberg had previously pushed as he sought the coveted number one ranking on YouTube subscribers.
Kjellberg described his reaction to the attack as “this pit in my gut” after seeing what had happened. “The news was terrible. It’s hard to believe someone would go to such lengths.”
Kjellberg rejects the notion that his actions caused the attack but concedes that the incident highlighted the power creators have to influence their audience’s perspectives and the weight of responsibility that comes with having a large fan base.
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The YouTuber said that he didn’t have a good grasp on the nature of this duty.
Kjellberg considers himself to be apolitical despite allegations that he has links to the alt-right.
Kjellberg has consistently denied rumors that he is connected to alt-right movements in an effort to “red pill” his supporters.
He explained his distaste for the alt-right by saying, “I think the constant linkage with the alt-right, and politics in general, has been incredibly annoying.” To just assign labels is usual practice, as one speaker put it.
Despite his frustration, Kjellberg does see where the suspicion that his content has a political motive comes from.
I didn’t realize I was getting into this much,” he stated. “However, I don’t want it to appear that I’ve done nothing wrong and am the victim of a witch hunt. Even though I disagree, I must admit that it seems very unfair.”
The YouTuber claimed to be “apolitical” or “something in between” when asked to characterize his political views.
I’m not very interested in politics,” he admitted. I’d like to think I was, but the truth is I just am not that invested.
His portrayal as a possible leader of alt-right forces, he says, is “conspiracy theory mumbo jumbo.”
He then added, “It’s annoying as well.” They’re trying to make a symbol out of me, but it doesn’t work.
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