YouTube influencers hold a tremendous amount of power today. According to data from Statista from October 2021, the video sharing website was the second most popular social media platform after Facebook, so YouTubers with a large following on the platform have a unique opportunity to tap into their audience for the causes that matter most to them.
With more reach, many creators feel a responsibility to send out positive messages, inspire their viewers, and speak out about important topics like climate change, animal welfare, disability awareness, or mental health. There seems to be an ever-increasing number of critical world issues that need solving today, so it’s always inspiring to see young YouTubers using the social media platform to create positive change.
5 YouTubers Making a Big Impact on Social Media
It’s been estimated that the number of YouTube creators with more than 1,000 subscribers is somewhere between 1.5 million and 1.7 million. You don’t need to be an expert in math to conclude that there’s a massive volume of YouTubers who have the power to hold sway when it comes to important causes, but here are just five of them who have made a big impact on social media in their own way:
1. MrBeast
In July 2020, YouTuber MrBeast went viral on social media for his video titled “I Adopted EVERY Dog In A Dog Shelter.” The video chronicles his nine-month journey of adopting every dog from a dog shelter, calling on viewers to donate to Furkids, a non-profit organization which rescues over 5,000 abandoned animals each year. The video has since garnered more than 114 million views, and MrBeast has no doubt inspired scores of people to adopt a pet and support animal rights causes.
2. Zoe Sugg
YouTuber Zoe Sugg has amassed a huge following on the social media platform — upwards of four million subscribers. The creator has been outspoken on her channel about everything from becoming a mom to her struggles with anxiety, and her videos have no doubt been a comfort to countless YouTube viewers who have had similar experiences. In 2020, Zoe posted a video raising awareness about the harms of social media when it comes to mental health, encouraging her followers to participate in “digital detox day.”
3. Molly Burke
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Molly Burke is a 28-year-old YouTube creator who was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at the age of four, which caused her vision to deteriorate over time, ultimately leading to blindness. Since then, she’s used her YouTube channel and social media reach to empower and inspire others, advocating for those living with disabilities everywhere. Molly has been outspoken about everything from vision loss to anxiety, helping to normalize disabilities and create a more accessible world.
4. Lilly Singh
As one of the social media platform’s most popular YouTubers, Lilly Singh has garnered over 14 million subscribers since joining the platform. Lilly uses her channel to speak out about a variety of topics from LGBTQ+ issues to workplace diversity, and she’s also helped to raise money for important causes like girls’ education, donating all the proceeds from a video announcing her #GirlLove Challenge to the Malala Fund back in 2015.
5. Tyler Oakley
Although he recently left the YouTube world, Tyler Oakley’s videos continue to have a lasting impact on viewers around the globe. For years, the YouTuber used his social media platform to speak out about LGBTQ+ issues and act as an advocate for the community. In the past, he partnered with the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ youth, using his platform to help fundraise for the group.
Lead image credit: Photo by sitthiphong via stock.adobe.com.
