One of the most popular and well-known YouTubers, Jake Paul, says that he’s leaving the platform, lamenting the downfall in quality of the platform and how recent changes make it not worthwhile to continue.
While Paul has hinted several times before that he’s going to leave YouTube, this time he’s made it more formal with a stronger reason why he’s pulling back from the platform.
Paul says he considers himself an entrepreneur and after experimenting with creating music and professional boxing he feels that the YouTube part of his career is over.
In a November 27 video titled, “I’m quitting YouTube. Here’s why” Paul admitted to pro boxer Ryan Garcia that he no longer wants to be a YouTuber.
“Why am I like, waking up every single day to film YouTube videos that are just getting me in trouble?” Paul said. “Getting me in lawsuits – like, I have four lawsuits from filming YouTube videos – when I can do something I love waking up and doing that pushes me mentally to a place that I haven’t ever been before?”
He admitted that he wouldn’t ever fully stop making some YouTube videos – but he’s taking a huge step back to focus on his training.
“I’ll always produce YouTube content,” Paul said. “But I think waking up and having YouTube be the only thing on your mind is a lot of YouTubers’ mentalities.”
Paul has recently said that YouTube’s uneven approach towards demonetization (something that has ended many YouTubers’ careers) and the upcoming COPPA changes where YouTube isn’t doing enough to help creators who will now have liability for saying whether their videos are made for kids, are making it increasingly less worthwhile to bother with YouTube. The COPPA changes will also mean YouTubers can lose up to 90% of their earnings if YouTube deems their videos as “for kids”.
Paul admitted that he has received several lawsuits for filming videos and that it’s giving him fewer reasons than ever to carry on with YouTube.
In response to an Instagram question, Paul said that YouTube doesn’t “excite” him anymore and that it’s becoming a “controlling and non rewarding platform to be apart of.”
As YouTube appears to be somewhat turning its back on actual YouTubers and seems to prefer getting more “brand-safe” celebrities on board, the lack of support for YouTubers could see many others decide to pull back from the platform.
