YouTuber Fidias faces backlash over controversial thumbnail of “poor” children
YouTube: Fidias YouTuber Fidias has been met with criticism after releasing a travel blog featuring an insensitive thumbnail.
Fifi ‘Fidias’ Panayiotou is known for releasing prank and challenge style videos on YouTube, but can also be seen traversing the world in heaps of vlogs. The content creator has made it no secret that he’s after the same success as MrBeast, though the YouTuber’s latest upload has set him back in that regard.
Fidias is receiving backlash for using a questionable thumbnail in a new vlog.
Fidias compared to MrBeast for the wrong reasons
On July 17, Fidias uploaded a travel blog titled ‘I Spent 100 Hours In The World’s Poorest Country’. The video sees Fidias travel to Burundi, with the goal of helping out various groups of people. Though the content creator seemingly had good intentions, Fidias’ thumbnail choice has prompted concern on social media.
The thumbnail, which still remains on his channel at the time of this article, shows Fidias surrounded by a group of Burundian children while pulling an exaggerated facial expression.
The seemingly exploitive thumbnail has sparked Twitter users such as @GRIMVVICE to compare Fidias unfavorably to his idol, MrBeast: “MrBeast Ruined a Whole Generation of YouTubers.”
Twitter user @LucidNightmare agreed on Fidias’ attempt to replicate MrBeast’s success: “Why the f*** does everyone that wins 9on mrbeast just become a mrbeast copycat YouTuber.”
“If I won I’d probably use the money to make YouTube but I wouldn’t be making these clickbait ass thumbnails.”
Many have joined the conversation, with another user adding “how do you make that thumbnail and be like “yeah that’s good”.
While some Twitter users have claimed Fidias’ actions were “wholesome” in the context of the video, the thumbnail style appears to be part of a larger problem.
One user, @thatsmyeyellin said: “the genre of images where they gather the little African children and they surround one person in the picture (usually a foreigner) is literally so god savior-esque.”
“People constantly try to defend it but literally look at this guy,” they added.
As it stands, the thumbnail is still live on the video and the YouTuber has not addressed the criticism. Though, who knows if he will.