Controversial YouTube star PewDiePie is taking a break
Popular YouTuber PewDiePie is taking a break from the online platform, citing fatigue.
"I am taking break from YouTube next year. I wanted to say it in advance, because I made up my mind. I'm tired, I'm tired, I'm feeling very tired," the content creator said in a video posted over the weekend. "Early next year, I'll be away for a little while."
PewDiePie, whose real name is Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg, made the announcement just three days after YouTube posted new content moderation guidelines curbing hateful speech in videos. In a video since watched about 4.6 million times, the controversial internet personality criticized the new measures:
"If YouTube knows what's good for them, they'll keep their [expletive] hands out of this well-developed, 100% unflawed system where, you dumb, you get called out, that's just how it is," he said. "I done dumb [expletive] too, I get called out."
With roughly 102 million subscribers, PewDiePie is one of the richest stars on YouTube. According to Forbes, the Swedish video maker made about $16 million last year — up to $450,000 per video from advertisers — even after facing backlash for anti-Semitic and other racist remarks made on his channel.
In 2017, the 30-year-old star apologized after using the n-word while playing a video game during a livestream. Earlier that same year, his projects were dropped by Disney's Maker Studios and YouTube after he posted videos that showed him laughing while two men held up signs that read, "Death to all Jews."
YouTube has long come under fire from politicians, parents and viewers for the content it allows on its platform. The company has been accused of creating spaces for harassment to fester online by allowing hate speech and extremist speech.
The company has long taken measures against videos with hate speech, but the platform faced further backlash this year after allowing a video to remain on the site from conservative commentator Steven Crowder. In the video, Crowder used homophobic slurs aimed at Vox reporter Carlos Maza.
PewDiePie said YouTube's content moderation policies only confuse an ecosystem regulated by the platform's own creators and viewers:
"The only thing keeping these YouTube videos in check are other YouTubers," he said. "We have this anarchy system, okay, don't come and ruin it for us, YouTube. If you do dumb [expletive] on YouTube, you will get called out on it. We need that. It's the only thing keeping us sane, YouTube. Don't take it away from us."
— The Associated Press contributed to this report.