The Battle for Views: The Clash of YouTube Icons

YouTube has been the ​premiere platform for content creators since 2005​.​​ One downfall? ​​​Controversies ​spread like wildfire. ​One of the​​ latest feud​s occured​ between YouTube icons KSI and DanTDM​, two prolific gaming influencers hailing from the UK,​ is no exception​.​​ ​It ​all stemm​ed​​​ from a product launch​ – ​​but how did ​we get here​​? 

What sparked the feud?

It all started innocently enough — Daniel Middleton, known to millions of fans as DanTDM, fired off a post ​on X (formerly Twitter) ​on Sept​ember​​ 16 that raised eyebrows across the internet. He wasn’t happy with the recent launch of Lunchly, a new lunch kit created by KSI,Logan Paul and MrBeast

His frustration seemed to reflect something bigger than just a dislike for the product. “What happened to YouTubers, man?” DanTDM wrote. “This is selling stuff for the sake of making money. … How does this benefit their fans?” 

DanTDM’s point hit at the heart of a broader conversation happening on YouTube today: When does a creator cross the line from being someone who connects with fans to becoming just another marketer? 

KSI defending his hustle

Olajide Olatunji, ​also known as​​ KSI, was not about to ignore the criticism. Known for his fiery personality, he quickly ​​​clapped back. In a series of posts, he questioned why DanTDM was singling him out, pointing out that Middleton had previously promoted snack boxes like MunchPak and even sold his own line of figurines

KSI was making a clear statement: Why was it OK for DanTDM to sell products, but suddenly wrong for him, Logan Paul and MrBeast to do the same? In his nearly 20-minute video titled “Everybody Hates Us Right Now,” he laid bare what he felt was unfair treatment from fans and critics alike. 

It makes you wonder: Is the criticism really about the product, or is it about something more personal? 

Is silence strategy?

While KSI has kept the drama alive, DanTDM has remained mostly silent. Other than his initial tweet, Middleton hasn’t engaged with the back-and-forth at all. In fact, as KSI and others debated the ethics of selling products to young fans, DanTDM stuck to what he does best: releasing new Minecraft content for his 29 million subscribers. 

Despite this, KSI didn’t stop with his video rants. On Oct. 4, he extended an olive branch or, perhaps more accurately, a challenge. He invited DanTDM onto his podcast, “Sidecast,” to “talk things out like men.” The podcast, hosted by KSI and his fellow Sidemen members, would provide a public forum for the two to hash out their differences; however, ​there has been no news of the two meeting face to face.​​

YouTube’s future and culture

What does it mean to be a YouTuber in 2024? The platform has changed drastically from its early days of raw, low-budget videos​, fueled purely by the fun of creating​. Now, YouTube is a place where creators build empires and launch multimillion-dollar businesses​ and has become an attractive career path for many children, teenagers and young adults across the world​. 

While KSI, Logan Paul and MrBeast are defending their right to launch and sell products, DanTDM’s criticisms remind us that not every fan will see these ventures as harmless. There’s an expectation — whether fair or not — that creators maintain a certain level of integrity, especially when their audience is largely made up of kids and teenagers. 

So, who’s in the right here? As the dust settles, one thing is clear: The way YouTubers navigate this balance between authenticity and business will continue to shape the future of the platform. And for fans, it raises a vital question: What do you want from the creators you follow? 

Lisé Badeaux is a junior at the University of Alabama, where she is studying public relations. Lisé is passionate about communications, both written narrative and digital storytelling, strategy development and student outreach. She is an independent self-starter and problem-solver who thrives in a collaborative team environment. 

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