YouTube changed my life

Mid-2000s: The internet is a playground without rules. Outsiders Coldmirror, Y-Titty, and others upload their first videos. YouTube is pure anarchy. The clips are flashy, loud, and the opposite of everything we know from television. That's precisely why more and more people, especially young people, are taking notice. When the first YouTubers meet at Gamescom in Cologne in 2010, they are overwhelmed: 400 fans have come. Just for them.

Starting in 2010, a scene of nerds became a hype. And a hype became an industry. Y-Titty, Die Außenseiter, Ischtar Isik, and others could not only watch their views and subscriptions explode, but also see how increasing commercialization was establishing new rules on YouTube. Just a moment ago, they were teenagers, now they are superstars with their own management teams. They are experiencing what it really means to grow up in front of the eyes of the world, and that the hard-earned relationship with loyal fans can become problematic.

In 2015, YouTube reached a tipping point: the first stars collapsed under the pressure of their fans and business partners. Some quietly bowed out, while others tried to reinvent themselves. Fans and YouTubers are growing up and finding themselves forced to reevaluate their lives and values. Suddenly, everyone is talking about mental health. Is it just a buzzword, or is NOW the time to turn YouTube careers into sustainable lifestyles?