A kid who went bankrupt just became the first person to win 500 million YouTube followers

Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, hit the half-billion subscriber mark during a live broadcast where fans teased him by leaving his channel.

It is hard to imagine starting with nothing and ending up with the biggest audience in human history. That is the reality for one creator who just broke every record on the internet.

WHAT HAPPENED

Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, hit 500 million subscribers on YouTube on Friday. He is the first creator ever to reach this massive number.

Over 600,000 people watched him stream the exact moment it happened. Some fans joked around by unsubscribing right before he hit the mark, then subscribing back.

During the stream, Donaldson talked about his past. He said his family went bankrupt in 2008 and he had to save small amounts of video ad money just to buy a basic microphone.

FACT BOX -

What the money/evidence shows

• 500 million subscribers reached on Friday.
• 600,000 live viewers watched the milestone stream.
• 11 years old when Donaldson first found YouTube.
• 100,000 hours estimated by Donaldson to master his craft.
• 20 to 30 years of video making still left in his plan.

THE BIGGER QUESTION

How does one person hold the attention of half a billion people? This milestone shows how entertainment has changed from big TV networks to single creators working out of small towns.

It makes us ask if this level of influence is healthy for young viewers who watch these videos every day. What does it mean when one young man has more reach than major news outlets?

THE OTHER SIDE

Some critics argue that massive giveaway videos and loud stunts do not count as deep storytelling. They worry that his style of fast-paced videos ruins the attention span of kids.

The sheer volume of his fans suggests his mix of charity and fun is exactly what hundreds of millions of people want to watch.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW

Donaldson plans to release a special video to celebrate the milestone. He also wants to make his future videos look more like high-quality films.

For regular creators, this proof of success shows that the ceiling on internet fame is much higher than anyone thought.

WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW

Will any other creator ever be able to catch up to this record?

• How will his plans to make more artistic films change his view count?
• Can YouTube support this level of growth for another thirty years?