Animators need to do more than simply draw compelling characters. They need to tell engaging stories with their drawings, ones that’ll captivate their audience and make them laugh (or cry) throughout. And Jaiden Dittfach, content creator behind JaidenAnimations, is able to do both.

In her work, Dittfach primarily uses things she’s personally experienced throughout her life, from going to the dentist to traveling to Japan. And while not every topic she speaks on may sound initially worth a 10-minute video, her nearly 13 million subscribers will testify to her ability to be funny and engaging on almost any topic.

POSITIVE CONTENT

As mentioned before, Dittfach is a wonderful storyteller, capable of weaving fun stories together that typically last 10 to 20 minutes. Whether she’s describing a trip to Japan or her multiple ventures in Pokémon Nuzlocke (a challenge which makes a Pokémon game much more difficult), Dittfach keeps viewers hooked until the very end.

For the most part, JaidenAnimations strives to be quite friendly to younger audiences. In the instances in which she does touch on topics that are more adult (such as when she describes confusing tetanus for AIDS), she tries to not go into too much detail for the sake of any potential watching children.

CONTENT CONCERNS

Nevertheless, some of Dittfach’s stories contain elements that families may find inappropriate. In one video, Dittfach recounts trying out five psychics, and the video includes references to tarot cards, palm readings and chakras. Likewise, another video gets into Dittfach learning about her sexuality, which she describes as “aromantic and asexual.” (Rarely does Dittfach’s sexuality come into play in her other videos.)

Other videos contain some light swearing, including words like “d–n,” “h—,” “p-ssed” and “crap.” God’s name is occasionally used in vain. And there was one instance in which an s-word is cut off.

CHANNEL SUMMARY

With some exceptions (particularly the aforementioned two video topics and occasional swearing), JaidenAnimations is an enjoyable watch. Younger audiences will certainly be drawn in by Dittfach’s fun art style. However, because some videos contain content that may not be appropriate for said children, we’d caution parents to watch beforehand to determine if JaidenAnimations is right for them.

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In fact, finding movies and TV shows strange is pretty much Meyers’ theme for his channel. I mean, I personally like the movie Holes, but I’d have to admit that it does have some silly elements. And on his eponymous YouTube channel, Meyers jokes about those oddities.

Well, technically, Meyers’ animated character does it. The nameless animation is a white, bald, inoffensive-looking creature. But his appearance belies the (ahem) sometimes-colorful thoughts he has on the subjects and plotlines of all types of movies and shows, from old-school Disney channel dramas to explicit R-rated thrillers.

POSITIVE CONTENT

Meyers pokes fun at movies young and old, and he encourages us that it’s OK to poke fun at entertainment—even entertainment we might otherwise enjoy.

Meyers is quick to point out sections in movies or TV shows that didn’t age well. He also occasionally mentions “red-flag” behavior in films: characters with problematic attitudes, for instance, especially those that exhibit controlling demeanors or emotional attachment issues.  

CONTENT CONCERNS

Some movies Meyers reviews are not appropriate for younger audiences, such as Fifty Shades of Grey, Jennifer’s Body and No Hard Feelings. Meyers augments his reviews with film clips, and while the most intimate moments of those scenes are censored or not shown, references are made to what’s going on, with Meyers frequently using the phrase “devil’s tango” as a euphemism for sex. Likewise, Meyers occasionally makes his own sexual jokes, referencing porn and masturbation.

Light swears such as “a–,” “b–ch” and “h—” occasionally pop up in movie clips. Meyers has used words like “d–chebag” and “ho” in a couple videos. Heavier swears, like the f-word, are censored when they appear in movie clips.

CHANNEL SUMMARY

Alex Meyers is, admittedly, quite funny. And few can deny the flaws in some movies when he points them out. But parents shouldn’t take Meyers’ animated character nor the many videos on kid’s movies as evidence that the channel is child friendly. With the occasional sexual joke and the discussion of movies across the entire MPA-rating spectrum, parents will want to exercise caution with Alex Meyers.

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British influencer Harry Pinero fits neatly into this quintessential description of a YouTube creator.

Through a combination of vlog and game formats, Harry shares his passion for travel, soccer and friends. In one video, Harry documents his luxurious travels to Qatar. In longer format videos titled, “The Inside Scoop,” Harry discusses soccer players and shares updates about the sport. And several videos feature Harry attempting internet challenges with his friends.

Harry also has a significant social media presence on Instagram, and he occasionally streams video game content on Twitch.

Whether he’s roaming the streets of Oxford or riding Mario Kart-themed go-karts, Harry’s upbeat personality enlivens his experiences and engages his internet audience.

POSITIVE CONTENT

What is YouTube if not a place for viewers to experience vicarious adventures? In several of his vlog videos, viewers can virtually accompany Harry on his luxurious travels. Some videos include inside looks at fancy, first-class flights, VIP experiences and extravagant hotel rooms—making for interesting (though potentially envy-inducing) viewing.

Segments of Harry’s videos also include positive messages about healthy lifestyle choices, and one video is dedicated to Harry’s efforts for a soccer-related charity organization. In one YouTube Shorts video, Harry discusses how he overcame a gambling addiction.

Harry also displays generally positive relationships with his friends. He talks to them about his love for his son, and the friends seem to support one another.

CONTENT CONCERNS

While Harry’s friendships do seem genuine, many of their conversations involve digs at one another. While these jabs are done in jest, parents may not want their young kids to emulate such banter. Additionally, some of Harry’s jokes rely on crude humor. For example, in one video, someone offhandedly mentions a dangerous drug, and later someone crudely discusses flatulence. In some of his shorter videos, Harry’s content includes sexual references and innuendos.  

Men sometimes vlog shirtless in videos.  Harry and his friends occasionally talk about alcohol.

But the primary concern in Harry’s content is profanity. Videos include the f-word, s-word and n-word, and these profanities usually remain uncensored. Videos also include “d–n,” “h—,” “b–tard” and misuses of God’s name.

While it doesn’t come up often, Harry is Muslim, and he occasionally discusses his faith on the channel. In one video, Harry exclaims, “All glory to Allah,” before he plays a soccer game. And in another video, he mentions his Umrah—a ceremonial pilgrimage to Mecca.

CHANNEL SUMMARY

Anyone who spends time on YouTube will find Harry’s formats familiar. His reaction videos, guessing-game content and “try not to laugh” challenges aren’t exactly original ideas. Still, like many other successful YouTubers, Harry Pinero mixes his passions and personality with these dependable formats in a manner that resonates with thousands of viewers.

Unfortunately, Harry Pinera’s otherwise tame content includes frequent uncensored profanity and occasional crude or sexual jokes.

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Like many popular YouTubers, Nathan Graham, better known by his chosen moniker of Unspeakable, got his start making Minecraft videos in 2012. Were you to stumble onto UnspeakableReacts and sort by “Oldest,” you’d find more than a half decade of Minecraft-centric content.

But these days, Graham garners more attention for his separate Unspeakable channel, which he started in 2016. On it, he uploads videos in which he lives out the dreams of many children: spending 24 hours alone in waterparks and candy shops; building working LEGO vehicles; and playing extreme games of hide and seek.

But don’t worry; Graham isn’t alone. Whether it’s buying a foldable home on Amazon, hunting tornadoes or just completing outrageous dares, Grahamis sure to bring his friends to help along the way.

POSITIVE CONTENT

Nearly every Unspeakable video shows Grahamand friends having fun as they engage in challenges or enjoy unique experiences. They almost always maintain a joyful and goofy manner, making the videos fun to watch.

A few videos showcase Graham donating large amounts of money to small Twitch streamers or buying his friends items they’d like to get.

CONTENT CONCERNS

Viewers experience quite a bit of toilet humor (sometimes literally). One joke involves a blurred-out bit of excrement, for example. We also here jokes about urination. Some punishments for challenges can be gross, such as when someone has what is claimed to be cat urine dumped on him. Others gross gags might spur younger viewers to replicate potentially harmful actions, such as when Graham dumps glue on his head, or when he and his friends lob bowling balls onto trampolines.

A couple of comedic videos deal with busting scary myths, some of which include trying a Ouija board; spreading salt on the ground to test if it will keep out demons (or, in their case, someone dressed to look like one); and chanting “Bloody Mary” in a mirror to see if the ghost of the Protestant persecutor would appear to harm them. In that vein, in many of Nathan’s skits, someone dressed like a ghost chases various people around.

Graham avoids vulgarities. But his viewers will still hear an occasional misuse of God’s name, though the more common exclamation is, “Oh my gosh!” or, “What the heck?”

Several videos show the contestants in challenges that ask them to break rules at various businesses without getting caught.

Additionally, Graham’s outlandish use of money and frequent destruction aren’t positive behaviors. And many videos contain requests for viewers to purchase brand merchandise.

CHANNEL SUMMARY

Unspeakable is similar to MrBeast’s über-popular YouTube channel. Both channels are run by multimillionaire young adults who use their money to create crazy challenges. However, whereas MrBeast generally creates content for all ages, Unspeakable’s videos target kids and teens more intentionally.

As Graham and his friends play games and beat challenges, they’ll likewise perform many skits. Additionally, on top of some toilet humor, these videos often contain a lot of over-the-top reactions and screaming.

After reviewing this channel, I can’t say that anything on it is truly unspeakable—or anything that might make it a hard or obvious “no” for families. But unless watching a few friends use a lot of money to have silly and outlandish fun is what you’re looking for, I don’t think there’s much else to consider here.

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YouTube fame comes and goes. YouTubers rise in popularity and fade away. But some stay around for a long, long time.

Let’s flash back to a simpler time, when YouTube was but a budding media-sharing website. This was the era when many names emerged as some of the first “famous” YouTube channels. And one of those channels, started in 2005, was Smosh.

The channel was started by childhood friends Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox, and it was initially filled with videos of the two lip-syncing to various songs. Later, they started uploading comedy sketches that spanned all sorts of genres—and the channel still uploads such sketches to this day. The channel quickly became one of YouTube’s most famous in its time, becoming the first channel to ever pass the 100,000-subscriber milestone and holding the record of most-subscribed YouTube channel over the span of a few different periods before PewDiePie surpassed them in 2013.

With a loyal fanbase, it might come as no surprise that Smosh is still around with over 1,700 videos on its main channel alone. But Smosh’s survival into 2023 is not without its bumps.

In 2011, Smosh was acquired by the now-defunct Defy Media, which provided the channel with stability and helped it expand to a larger audience. However, the acquisition would cause Padilla to leave Smosh to pursue independent creation, citing a “lack in creative freedom.”

Defy Media shut down in 2018, putting Smosh at risk for the same, before it was acquired soon after by Mythical Entertainment, a company operated by Good Mythical Morning hosts Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal.

And in June 2023, Smosh made waves once more when Padilla returned to the channel after he and Hecox purchased a majority stake in Smosh back from Mythical Entertainment, and the two continue to upload at least one video per week to the time of this review’s posting.

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That’s why they do a new thing every day.

On Monday, they’re opening a hotel for aliens. On Tuesday, they’re opening a restaurant with only banana-themed food items. On Wednesday, they’re hosting a game show. What’ll they do the next day? Well, not even they know.

The only real constant? That whatever they do, their nosy neighbor, Nancy, will try to get involved with (and often, put a stop to) their plans.

POSITIVE CONTENT

You could think of Adventure Ventures as something more akin to a scripted skit show than your typical YouTube channel. Each video stands alone from previous videos on the channel, meaning that viewers can jump into whichever video interests them most. That means that each video introduces and resolves its plot within its typically 10-minute runtime.

Despite Nancy’s frequent selfish and rude antics, Parker, Chase and Michaela often try to keep the peace and include Nancy in their fun—and on worse days, they work to save her from situations into which she puts herself. And when the three make mistakes of their own, they try to right them.

Each video begins with a silly premise that will likely be fun for a child.

CONTENT CONCERNS

While generally clean, some humor can be a bit crude.

Viewers will endure some toilet humor, such as a broken toilet that sprays on a couple people and some jokes about flatulence. A man is given a wedgie. A man says he’s married to a sock puppet named “Butch” who he refers to as a “he” (though he also calls the puppet his wife).

Violence is usually slapstick, though some moments are a bit more intense. A woman is held underwater to prevent her from discovering an alien’s identity, and they later have to resuscitate her. Someone is stabbed in the hand with a fork. A man is kicked in the crotch. And some people are smacked upside the head with a baseball bat to knock them out. (It should be noted, however, that even these more intense moments leave the victims typically no worse for wear.)

We heard God’s name used in an exasperated way twice.

CHANNEL SUMMARY

Adventure Ventures was created with the purpose of providing content that would be enjoyable for kids to watch and clean enough that parents didn’t need to worry about what they were watching.

To that end, the channel generally succeeds. As of posting, the channel’s 13 videos contain much less problematic content than your average YouTube channel. And what’s more, much of the content that is on Adventure Ventures is the kind that is more tolerable. That being said, families may want to note a couple slapstick moments that get a bit violent, such as a recurring gag where characters are knocked out with a baseball bat.

So while not perfect, Adventure Ventures may be a venture worth considering.

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In 2011, Impractical Jokers stormed onto the entertainment scene, gaining a large following for its hidden-camera reality television series—one that still continues as of 2023. The format for the show is simple: four friends challenge one another to complete generally socially embarrassing tasks (usually in front of onlookers unaware that it’s part of a show), and if anyone is too nervous to follow through, they lose.

Imagine the YouTube channel Family Friendly as an even cruder form of Impractical Jokers.

The premise is the same: Four friends, made up of members “Bazerk,” “Melt,” “Sizl” and “Swift” compete in challenges that require them to be put in awkward situations. But while Impractical Jokers wasn’t always crude, Family Friendly is. Nearly every challenge contains an offensive or sexual challenge for the group to complete—from defending a disrespectful opinion to attempting to get online women to take their shirts off.

Suffice it to say, this is not the family friendly content you were looking for.

POSITIVE CONTENT

None.

CONTENT CONCERNS

Many of Family Friendly’s videos contain sexual elements or references. In a number of challenges, the guys attempt to get women online to show off their breasts. They also frequently reference sex and masturbation. We also see a couple censored sex toys. In a couple videos, they scroll through Tinder dating profiles that contain women in swimsuits. In a challenge to defend unpopular topics, some of them must defend incest. Men show off the underwear they are wearing.

The group hosts “offensive Zoom classes,” in which they talk about various inappropriate or crude topics. Racist and sexist comments are made. One of Family Friendly’s members leads an exercise class that contains a “workout” meant to look like someone hitting his or her partner. We hear frequent uncensored swearing, including the c-word, f-word and s-word.

CHANNEL SUMMARY

For parents hoping to find something online for their child to watch that doesn’t have content issues, they may rush to Google and type in something like “family friendly YouTube channels.” And were they not looking too hard, they may come across Family Friendly—a channel obviously named ironically.

So, don’t be fooled by the name. There’s nothing on this channel that’s friendly for your family.

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For instance, in his YIAY (“Yesterday, I Asked You”) series, Douglass reads the funny responses viewers have to various questions or prompts he asks, such as “Design the flag for the Super Bowl” or “Kidzbopify songs with inappropriate lyrics.”

He’s also got “Your Grammar Sucks,” a series where he, sometimes along with the help of other YouTubers, read poorly written comments verbatim.

But Douglass’ main claim to fame is his parodies. And he parodies everything from infomercials to YouTube apology videos.

But his channel isn’t just about the laughs. Recently, jacksfilms has sparred with fellow YouTuber SSSniperWolf, who we have reviewed before. Some of Douglass’ videos center around how reaction YouTubers often steal content made by others for their own gain, and Douglass’ prime example is SSSniperWolf. He’s even gone so far as to make another YouTube account parodying her reaction content by playing games of Bingo, where the spots are filled with what Douglass might describe as her “copy and paste” reactions. The animosity between the two culminated when SSSniperWolf allegedly posted Douglass’ home address online.

POSITIVE CONTENT

If there is one YouTuber on the metaphorical frontlines of the fair use debate, it’s jacksfilms. Many of his videos point out how it is unfair for large content creators to use others’ content, often without permission and in order to make a personal profit. He reveals how damaging reaction channels can be for other genuine creators when the reactors do not use the content in a transformative way.

CONTENT CONCERNS

We hear a lot of swearing in almost every video, including the f-word and s-word. We also hear misuses of God’s name quite frequently.

In addition, he makes frequent jokes or references to sexual material of all kinds, including pornography, masturbation, sex and more. Likewise, we’ll hear lots of jokes about genitals. One video photoshops a woman’s bikini-clothed rear onto a flag. Another asks viewers to submit songs they’d play while having sex. One song jokes about the difference between typing “raper” and “rapper.”

Religion can be a jacksfilms target, too. One video shows the responses of viewers after they were asked to submit their favorite Bible verses, all of which mistranslate or make up verses for jokes.

CHANNEL SUMMARY

Jack Douglass tries to help out smaller content creators by helping them defend their content and calling out larger channels that use that content for their own gain. However, in terms of his own unique content, because of its frequent sexual and crude nature, jacksfilms is very problematic itself.

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Well, maybe you haven’t noticed it, but Eddy Burback has. And if you watch his eponymous YouTube channel, you might begin to understand that sentiment. Sure, sex education and “Stranger Danger” videos, for instance, were made with good intentions back in their day, but some of them don’t age well. And a lot of the stuff that’s being uploaded in our modern day is just as crazy.

It’s all prime real estate for someone to joke about—and that someone is Eddy Burback.

Of course, not all of his videos merely react to social content that will likely leave a viewer saying “yikes.” He also uploads videos where he challenges himself to complete some light-hearted accomplishments—like visiting every Rainforest Café in the United States.

And he’ll do it all while sporting perhaps the best mustache this world has seen.

POSITIVE CONTENT

The Eddy Burback channel provides good insight into some issues. In one of his more popular videos, Burback details some genuine problems surrounding the rise of “ghost kitchens,” enterprises that only provide food through delivery apps. And a couple well-researched videos point out the flaws of modern late-night TV. Additionally, he brings to light a growing issue on YouTube—creators on YouTube Kids uploading disgusting and inappropriate videos onto the child-oriented site.

It’s also pretty clear that the vast majority of Burback’s content focuses on ridiculous things to make people laugh, such as his trips to every Margaritaville and Rainforest Café in the country or his attempt to bowl two perfect games in a row in Wii Sports.

CONTENT CONCERNS

Burback uses some heavy uncensored language, including the f-word and s-word. God’s name is also used in vain.

Because Burback covers lots of videos from popular culture, some of Burback’s videos cover topics that aren’t appropriate for younger audiences. One video covers some of the more awkward videos made for sex education—where plenty of sexual topics and talked and joked about. In other videos, Burback explains the general plot of some shows or movies that may have content concerns. He also takes an online “women’s kissing class.”

It should be noted that while Burback’s jokes and criticisms often have merit, they can also be pretty mean-spirited.  

CHANNEL SUMMARY

With some channels, it’s a bit harder to pinpoint exactly what the channel’s theme is. Many creators like to branch out and cover whatever interests them, which makes summarizing every type of video they make difficult. That’s a bit of the case with Eddy Burback, and that’s likewise the case with the content on the channel. But for many families, the language found in Eddy Burback’s channel might push it far out of bounds—his visits to Rainforest Cafés notwithstanding.

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So screams Sean “Jack” McLoughlin at the start of nearly every one of the videos on his YouTube channel, jacksepticeye. Yes, the Irish man is aware of how stereotypical it sounds … and that’s kind of the point.

McLoughlin is quite possibly the most recognizable Irish YouTuber on the platform—and one of the most recognizable gaming-focused YouTubers, period. Nearly 30 million subscribers propel him toward the pinnacle of this genre, alongside the likes of Markiplier and PewDiePie.

Whether jacksepticeye is playing a silly game or a horror game, his streaming videos radiate with cheerful banter and quick one-liners—and the same can be said for his reaction videos, too. McLoughlin’s comedic timing paired with his optimistic and friendly demeanor clearly connects with a huge online audience.

But is the channel, as a whole, a pot of gold?

POSITIVE CONTENT

McLoughlin has used his fame to raise millions for various charities, even raising over $10 million during his last “Thankmas” charity stream. He furthermore frequently engages with content made by his fans and thanks them for taking the time to make it for him.

Optimism infuses nearly every one of his videos. However, he has also been quite vocal about the difficulties of YouTube, explaining to his audience how his job can be quite stressful and has negatively impacted his mental health. Because of this, he decided to cut back on the frequency of his uploads and even took some time away to recuperate.

CONTENT CONCERNS

McLoughlin frequently uses crude language, including the f-word, s-word and various words for male or female anatomy. He will often take God’s name in vain. Jesus’ name is likewise used as an expletive.

McLoughlin plays many horror games that may scare younger audiences, and he also plays games that contain ample amounts of animated blood and gore. Viewers will also hear explicit sexual references occasionally.

On the channel, jacksepticeye will react to various things posted on the Internet that may not be appropriate for viewers. These might include nudity and sex, real life gore and scatological content (all of which is blurred or censored). Content like this is particularly prominent when McLoughlin, as a sort of game, reacts to certain subreddits on Reddit that promote the risk of seeing such things.

CHANNEL SUMMARY

One thing that’s immediately evident reading up on jacksepticeye is this: He’s been a big inspiration to his fans. One teen after another commented about how McLoughlin’s videos were an oasis in a desert full of mental illnesses and the pains of growing up. And, to his credit, McLoughlin certainly does his part to make sure his fans know that his personality is genuine; he does care for them.

But despite those nice sentiments, the many content issues included in the channel make this a hard sell for younger audiences, especially that frequent harsh profanity and the sexual references.

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