NEW YORK – MrBeast’s ambitious reality show, which the YouTube megastar hopes will expand his giant online reach and turn the corner on recent controversies, is already raising questions from consumer advocates over a partnership with a fintech company.
Prime Video’s Thursday premiere of the record-setting “Beast Games” capped off a tumultuous year for Jimmy Donaldson and his production company. Shortly after reaching never-before-seen YouTube subscriber totals, MrBeast began facing heightened scrutiny over past “inappropriate content,” the channel’s philanthropic efforts, its workplace culture and allegations of dangerous on-set conditions that Donaldson has denied.
As MrBeast’s loyal following tunes in to watch 1,000 contestants compete for $5 million on “Beast Games,” they are invited to scan a QR code for a shot at winning their own life-changing money. It’s a $4.2 million sweepstakes run by fintech company MoneyLion, an app that sends cash advances — often for a fee to workers living paycheck to paycheck.
The collaboration is billed as a …