YouTube stars face burnout with constant pressure to produce video

Digital Originals

YouTube stars face burnout with constant pressure to produce video

YouTube has created a lot of stars. But some are now feeling burned out.

CGTN’s Phil Lavelle reports. 

As their sole aim has become chasing views. Some videos have been watched billions of times. But prominent stars like Jacksepticeye now feeling too stressed by it all.

He’s gotten 10 billion views. And 20 million followers. He’s contributed a lot. And now, he’s one of the most famous to take a break.

Many feel compelled to keep uploading to keep the views coming.

Trying to beat an algorithm they don’t understand. It’s how some make their living.

In an extreme case, a woman shot three YouTube employees and killed herself in April 2018. Nasim Najafi Aghdam had been angry about YouTube’s practices and policies.

Psychologist Judy Ho says, “Eventually, these entrepreneurs have nowhere to turn and they develop learned helplessness. This out of control feeling where if they stop, they’re going to lose their popularity and business. So they need to make a commitment to get outside, to interact face to face with people that they love, because all of that interaction that they have is online, and we know that when people are exposed to that with no real interactions, it really impacts their mental health.”