Are MrBeast Videos Ethical? - Psychology Explained
Are MrBeast Videos Ethical? Well to find out I decided to use the same handbook that psychologists use in real life experiments. This is because (over the course of this three part series) we determined that MrBeast contestant videos are basically one big unstandardised psychology experiment. So for the final video of the series I created a scale of ethical concern, based on our little handbook, starting from the least ethically concerning thing all the way to the most concerning.
As mentioned at the end of the video, here are the extra points that didn't quite make it into the video...
1) Sample Bias
Sample bias is exactly what it sounds like — it’s when there's a bias in how participants are selected for a study. In psychology, this can happen in many ways, but a classic example is just picking your friends to take part. This makes your sample unrepresentative of the larger population, meaning your results won’t reflect broader reality — they’ll just reflect what your friends think or do.
In the case of MrBeast, sample bias shows up in a couple of ways. First, most of his contestants tend to come from a specific geographic region (which he mentions on the Joe Rogan podcast). Second, many of them share a similar economic background — something you can pick up on from the personal stories shared throughout his videos.
While this kind of bias might not be a huge problem from a data standpoint in entertainment, there is an ethical consideration: if contestants are in genuine financial need, it raises questions about exploitation, how they're compensated and whether winners get the right support after the spotlight fades.
2) BPS vs APA (ethics)
The BPS (British Psychological Society) and the APA (American Psychological Association) are two of the largest organizations representing psychologists in their respective countries. They're also responsible for the ethical handbooks that guide research and practice — including the one referenced in this video.
Now even though MrBeast is American and films in the U.S., I chose to use the BPS (British) handbook when discussing the ethics. Technically, it would make more sense to use the APA guidelines. But the truth is, both handbooks are incredibly similar, and the differences between them are tiny! Anyways I just wanted to be upfront about that for full transparency. :)
3) Entertainment over Altruism
Altruism can mean slightly different things depending on the field, but at its core, it’s about sacrificing your own benefit to help others. Giving away millions of dollars definitely looks altruistic — you’re taking money out of your own pocket and giving it to someone who needs it. On the surface, that’s hard to argue with.
But when that act of giving is turned into a filmed, highly produced piece of content, the conversation shifts. Is it still pure altruism, or has it become something else — something transactional?
Then there's another layer: in most MrBeast videos, contestants are placed in direct competition with each other. The setup often discourages altruism between participants — it’s every person for themselves. Sure, it makes for compelling content, but it also raises a question: how far can you push entertainment before it starts to bring out the less flattering sides of human nature?
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So what do you think, are MrBeast videos ethical? Let me know your answer in the comments down below...
If you want to watch either part 1 or part 2 the links are just below :)
Part 1
MrBeast and His Videos - Psychology Explained
• You’ll Never Watch MrBeast the Same Way Ag...
Part 2
Why No One 'Wins' a MrBeast Video – Psychology Explained
• There Are No Winners In A MrBeast Video…
Btw it would be very unethical if you don't subscribe (just saying ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )
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