MrBeast faces criticism after giving hearing aids to 1,000 deaf people — and Elon Musk comes to his defense

MrBeast is facing backlash again. After being accused by one writer of posting “inspiration porn” in his latest video, Elon Musk came to the YouTube star’s defense.

In his most recent video — titled “1,000 Deaf People Hear For The First Time” — the YouTuber donated $3 million worth of hearing aids with “cutting-edge hearing technology” that analyzes each user’s specific hearing needs. Several individuals featured in the video gave emotional reactions to hearing the voices of their loved ones. Even MrBeast got teary-eyed a handful of times.

In typical MrBeast fashion, he also surprised a number of people featured in the video with $10,000 just to make their “day a little bit better.”

The YouTuber traveled to Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, South Africa, Malawi and Indonesia to provide deaf people with hearing aids.

To further help the cause, MrBeast also gave money to organizations that teach sign language around the world.

“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,” MrBeast said in the video.

An article in the Independent, headlined “Deaf People like me deserve better than MrBeast’s latest piece of ‘inspiration porn’,” criticized the YouTuber for sensationalizing the reality of deafness.

“One part of the problem, in that it amplifies the dangerous misconception that hearing devices such as hearing aids and cochlear implants are ‘cures’ or ‘fixes’ for deafness. They aren’t,” the Independent said.

“There is nothing in MrBeast’s video which acknowledges the fluctuating relationship we deaf people have with hearing and listening,” the Independent added.

Criticisms of MrBeast’s new post packed on via Twitter.

“Hearing aids are not a cure. Hearing aids do not automatically restore hearing,” one critic tweeted.

“Seriously? This is disgusting human behavior,” tweeted another. “How can you guys defend Mr. Beast after this, he’s exploiting these unlucky humans with his money and is profiting off their hearing loss. I will not be showing anymore of his videos to my children.”

Elon Musk came to the YouTuber’s defense in a tweet that began, “People definitely shouldn’t be attacked for doing good.”

“Is it really just a question of money to restore hearing?” Musk continued. “I’m always looking ways to donate money that are actually good. Perhaps this is one. It is very hard to donate money if you about it doing actual good, not merely the appearance of it.”

This is not the first of the social media star’s philanthropic efforts. Earlier this year, he funded cataracts surgery for 1,000 people suffering blindness — an act for which he was called “demonic,” per the Deseret News.

In 2020, MrBeast said be planned to “use my main channel’s influence to one day open hundreds of homeless shelters/food banks and give away all the money.”

“That’s my gameplan and if you don’t believe me, just watch. I promise I’m dying with 0 dollars in my bank account and I refuse to live a materialistic life,” he wrote in a followup tweet.

Related

• How much does MrBeast make — and how much does he donate?

Watch ‘1,000 Deaf People Hear For the First Time’ below