Five More Things #YTFandomHonestyHour Taught Us

2 June saw the return of #YTFandomHonestyHour, a time for YouTube fans to voice their opinions about the site.

YouTubers participated alongside fans, with both sides taking the “honesty” part to heart. Yes, shade was thrown, as it always is, but alongside the negativity, there was also a lot of positive points made that those within the community can take from the discussion.

Luckily for you, we here at TenEighty don’t have much in the way of lives outside of YouTube, so we were able to collect a few tweets from Wednesday for you to look over.

No need to thank us. Just doing our job.

1. A YouTuber is either relatable or they aren’t, and that’s okay

#ytfandomhonestyhour i love smaller youtuber like, @evebennettx & @hanxrenee, theyre more relatable.

— laur (@smileitshunter) June 1, 2016

successful and are constantly on planes and at swanky events and the relatability really wanes. i think a balance should be found!

— beckii✨ (@BeckiiCruel) February 6, 2016

In the days of brand deals, sponsored videos, and accounts with millions of subscribers, it’s no wonder YouTubers that started out seemingly relatable now live hugely different lives from their viewers. As a result, people are now looking to smaller YouTubers for that connection, and larger accounts are seen to be trying too hard to win back that relatability.

#ytfandomhonestyhour i wish more people would worry about making creative and inspirational videos than just "relatable" stuff soz

— gabby (@florallester) June 1, 2016

However, it’s important to remember than being relatable isn’t everything. What’s important is for videos to feel authentic and true to the person who’s creating them.

2. Fandoms aren’t just about the YouTubers involved

I feel a lot of youtubers have distanced themselves from this fandom it's full of immature, jealous people it's sad #ytfandomhonestyhour

— Danielle🏳️‍🌈 (@DaniellesDiary1) June 1, 2016

Some creators have large fandoms, and when said fandoms are the size they are, they can start to be overwhelming to both creators and other fans, and it can make it difficult to have that close contact that would have once been possible with said YouTuber.

#ytfandomhonestyhour people doubt this fandom too much, but when things get so bad we are always there for each other which is what matters

— shannon ♡ [PB] (@sparklesugglets) June 1, 2016

However, fandoms aren’t just about the YouTubers. By coming together in this way, those within them get the chance to belong to a community – even a family – and get to make friends they wouldn’t have met otherwise. YouTubers see this connection and many appreciate the strong bonds that have formed within their communities.

#ytfandomhonestyhour I regularly see Sprinklerinos building up and encouraging other Sprinklerinos and I love it. You are good peoples. <3

— Booo!ouise (@LouisePentland) December 28, 2015

I actually have the best fandom. KINDA an official fact. They never fight, they build eachother up & I love em! #faMely #ytfandomhonestyhour

— Melanie Murphy (@melaniietweets) June 1, 2016

3. Shipping is okay, but best left on the page

#ytfandomhonestyhour also, shipping people very publicly is weird. Let them live their lives, it probably does more harm than good.

— Charlotte Hartley (@charlottelorina) June 1, 2016

You know we couldn’t leave shipping off of this list. The internet’s dirty little secret has always had a mixed response from the YouTube community, with feelings toward it ranging from hilarity to horror. But with so many ships and slash fiction writers out there, it’s important to address whether shipping can go too far.

https://twitter.com/gtfocashton/status/738094437511880704

So maybe it’s best to leave shipping in the realms of fiction writing.

4. In the end, viewers just want to see their faves do well

seeing your fav that you have supported from day one having multiple fan accounts is the proudest feeling #ytfandomhonestyhour

— Henrietta (@HenryShaw8) February 6, 2016

After all, this is what being a fan is all about!

5. And as Sammy says…

#ytfandomhonestyhour speaking to a camera in your bedroom is really weird

— Spoopy Sammy 💀 (@SammyAlbon) June 1, 2016

Yep, what are YouTubers in the end but a bunch of lovable weirdos with cameras!

Still haven’t had enough honesty?

We know these hashtags can get a bit heavy at times, but it’s great to keep these lines of communication open, so both YouTubers and viewers can help change the site for the better. What did you think of our list? Be sure to send us a tweet to let us know! And while you’re here, why not check out our other articles:

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