Parents' Guide to

PewDiePie

PewDiePie poster

Common Sense Media Review

Laura Ordonez By Laura Ordonez , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 16+

Rowdy gaming & comedic commentary videos; explicit language.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 16+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 11+

Based on 17 parent reviews

age 4+

TOOOOOO VIOLENT

the bridge moment ruined my life
age 18+

he should go back to being a minimum wage fast food worker

i despise this channel it made my kids implode 0/10 for kids 0/10 for adults all it is is just the worst content on earth i wish he would come to his sense and stop making the worst content ever, just too much adult humor to even enjoy, 1 joke is an adult joke from him

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (17 ):
Kids say (17 ):

This chart-topping channel has gone through an evolution of seriously problematic to not-as-problematic content as it's creator, Felix Kjellberg, has faced an array of backlash for the crude, edgy and sometimes dangerous rhetoric the channel has built its fame on. PewDiePie has gone from reckless Let's Play videos riddled with explicit language and racist, misogynistic commentary, to somewhat toned down content that attempts to offer more than outlandish shock value. But the reality is the past never stays in the past when it's been posted online. Many of PewDiePie's controversial content still lives on in the archives of his channel and is even highlighted as his most popular videos.

Some of his post-controversy videos are mildly entertaining and seemingly heartfelt, like his series that documents his move to Japan with his wife and dog, or his video "Rating YouTuber Apology Videos" where he makes light of how many YouTubers create cut-and-paste apologies in attempt to not get cancelled (he even rates his own apology from years ago, with some decent introspection). It seems like PewDiePie is in an era of teetering between the more wholesome family man he portrays on his Instagram and the impulsive obnoxious influencer that originally fueled his fanbase and earned him a top spot on YouTube charts. Until he figures it out, his channel will continue to fall short of anything we want our tweens or teens to idolize.

YouTube Details

  • Genre: Gaming
  • Last updated: August 9, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate