MrBeast has reacted to the backlash over his new video where he helped 1,000 people hear for the first time.
The most-followed YouTuber in the world with 151 million subscribers - whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson - is known for his extravagant deeds and acts of kindness.
On Saturday (May 6), he uploaded his latest philanthropic act which saw him provide 1,000 people from different countries like the US, Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, South Africa, Malawi, and Indonesia with hearing aids.
The six-minute clip - which amassed 37 million views in just two days - showed Donaldson filming the participants' stunned and emotional reactions as the devices were turned on and they could hear their loved ones for the first time.
Watch the video below:He explained in a voiceover: "We got our hands on over $3 million worth of cutting-edge hearing technology, that, unlike old hearing aids, analyses people's specific hearing needs, allowing them to hear again without causing any damage."
"Sign language connects people whether they can hear or not. But access to learning sign language is still very limited in many places, so we’re gonna donate $100,000 to organizations around the world that are teaching people sign language," he added at the end of the video.
Despite displaying some of the goodness he does on social media, MrBeast has often been highly criticized by users. This time, some people from the deaf community claimed that he was seeking "attention" with his latest clip.
One user wrote: "As a deaf person, I f***ing hate this and I hate how he's turning my disability into clout and attention for his 'fans' and his channel. If you truly care about deaf people, then you should do this without any cameras around you and give your money to charities for deaf people."
Another person stated: "People don't realize how exhausting wearing hearing aids can be. People also misunderstand the reality of using them because they don't cure deafness. There's still a lot of struggles on top of feeling obliged to wear them because no one will accommodate you."
A third user remarked: "The way this scumbag just 'does good for people' really rubs me the wrong way," and the YouTuber responded by attempting to defend his actions, writing: "I’m sorry, I just like helping people."
However, MrBeast received some support for his kind act from many users - including one of the richest men in the world, Elon Musk.
The 51-year-old Twitter CEO weighed in on the debate after journalist Ed Krassenstein tweeted: "It amazes me that MrBeast can give 1,000 people their hearing back, and instead of asking why the heck the US healthcare system didn't do this 15 years ago, Americans are attacking MrBeast."
Musk then replied: "People definitely shouldn’t be attacked for doing good. Is it really just a question of money to restore hearing? I’m always looking [for] ways to donate money that are actually good. Perhaps this is one. It is very hard to donate money if you [care] about it doing actual good, not merely the appearance of it."
