The popularity of the Minecraft YouTuber community (MCYT) has spiked with teenagers. They give youth a healthy environment to connect through common interests no matter their background. However, there are cons to the community that should not be overlooked. 

One only needs to search the internet for “MCYT animation” and you’ll be shown a plethora of artists making music videos, edits and compilations. The community provides an outlet for artists and editors. Anyone with a creative spark fits in. You’ll never fail to find something new in the content flow.

However, these creative opportunities sometimes turn obsessive. Creators like Tommyinnit had to confront the public about their inappropriate behavior, like sexualizing him, even as a minor. People have since quieted these behaviors, but they still occur. Dream, another popular creator, was doxxed — someone intentionally shared his address without permission.

“I think one thing a lot of people forget is that even streamers are people,” Calliope Matta, fr., said. “Dream has all rights to his privacy and the fan base shouldn’t take that away from him.”

MCYT functions as a safe space for youth, despite the occasional toxicity of viewers. There’s low tolerance for racism, sexism, homophobia or other exclusionary behavior. Diverse creators make content for viewers of all kinds.

MCYT helped bring youth together during the COVID-19 pandemic, giving teenagers the opportunity to cope they needed.