Where there’s a YouTuber, there’s most likely a scandal. The streaming platform is home to the most well-known, beloved and sometimes infamous influencers in the world — and a lot of them have been involved in some pretty serious controversies over the years.
In June 2020, longtime YouTube sensation Jenna Marbles revealed she would be “moving on” from the platform that made her a household name. The decision came after fans asked her to explain and take responsibility for past racist videos on her channel — including one clip where she appeared to don blackface as she impersonated rapper Nicki Minaj.
“I do want to tell you how unbelievably sorry I am If I ever offended you by posting this video or by doing this impression. It’s not okay. It’s shameful. It’s awful. I wish it wasn’t part of my past,” she said in a since-deleted video. “I think I’m just going to move on from this channel for now. I don’t know if that’s forever. I don’t know how long it’s going to be. I want to make sure that the things that I put into the world are not hurting anyone.”
Nearly two months after announcing her break, Jenna went off the grid completely and revealed in August 2020 that she would not be continuing the “Jenna & Julien Podcast” with boyfriend Julien Solomita. “I have a million things that I would love to say, but I just want you to know that I’m doing okay, I’m getting help, and I’m just being a person right now,” the internet star said during the final installment. “So I genuinely appreciate all the support and love.”
Even relationships between two creators on the platform have spawned some major controversies in the YouTube world. In April 2019, Tana Mongeau and Jake Paul started dating, which led viewers to wonder whether or not they were really together or just for “clout” — a way to get attention online. After the former Disney star “proposed” to the Las Vegas native at her 21st birthday bash that June, they actually got married the following month! It wasn’t until December 2020 when Tana actually spilled the tea on what actually went down between her and Jake.
“Did we get legally married? No, that was a fake wedding, there’s nothing you can ever say to say that it wasn’t, I guess,” Tana admitted during an appearance on Barstool Sports’ “BFFs” podcast. “The emotion of it all was real. It’s still real. It’s real for me, it always will be real. I love Jake more than anyone I’ve ever loved.”
Well, there you have it! Wondering what else has gone down in the YouTube world? Scroll through the gallery to see some of the biggest scandals the platform has ever seen.