The most popular YouTuber in the world has responded to criticism after a video showed him paying for several life-changing surgeries.
In the post, MrBeast says that he paid for cataract surgery for a thousand people so that they could see again.
But the video has been watched more than 71 million times and has gotten mixed reviews. Some people have called it “charity porn.”
Jimmy Donaldson, 24 years old, tweeted that the average MrBeast video lost $1,500,000 last year in response to claims that the video was made only to make money.
He also said that the video did “make people aware.”
Twitter – Rich people should help others with their money
Me – Okay, I’ll use my money to help people and I promise to give away all my money before I die. Every single penny.
Twitter – MrBeast bad
— MrBeast (@MrBeast) January 30, 2023
MrBeast, who now has 131 million subscribers and is the most popular YouTuber in the world, said at first that he thought only a few people would watch the video.
As more people watched the video, there were questions and worries about how expensive eye surgery is in some parts of the world and how hard it is to get.
Some people also said that wealthy people shouldn’t be used to trying to solve more significant problems in society and healthcare.
But not everyone agrees, and some people thank him for bringing attention to the issue.
Andrew Hodgson, president of the National Federation of the Blind of the UK, told BBC Newsbeat, “Anything that brings attention to treatable eye conditions like cataracts and helps people pay for surgery to get their sight back should be welcomed.”
“Why would anyone criticize this work or how it’s being brought to people’s attention through film and social media?”
A spokeswoman for the international charity Sightsavers said they were “encouraged to see the global eye health burden brought up to a large public audience.”
“Eye health is often forgotten when people talk about global health, but it gives children a chance to learn and adults the chance to work,” they said.
In the video, Dr. Jeff Levinson, the surgeon who worked for the social media star, says, “Half of the blind people in the world need a 10-minute surgery.”
MrBeast is known for his videos where he gives away a lot of money and prizes and also does charity work.
In 2021, he started a separate YouTube channel about philanthropy, which now has more than 10 million subscribers. He also has a licensed charity that works as a food bank to feed people all over the US.
The NHS says that more than 2 million people in the UK have trouble seeing. Of these, 340,000 are registered as blind or partially sighted.
When a person’s quality of life is affected by their eyesight getting worse, the NHS gives them an evaluation and surgery if and when needed.
In 2021, the Royal College of Optometrists said that just under 44,000 cataract surgeries were done in the UK in just one month.
Even though people had different reactions, the emotional responses of those he helped show how much of an impact MrBeast had on them.
