I officially started watching YouTube in late 2016, a little late considering the social media platform had already been around for quite sometime. The desire to watch YouTube came at a pivotal time in my life. With drastic life changes, considerable problems and frustrations, tuning into YouTube felt like an escape, a 10 minute vacation away from reality. YouTube was part of my daily routine. I lucked out, discovering all types of content creators from all corners of the globe. Creators whose video content rivaled any big budget film I’d ever seen.
YouTube is where consistency is law. The more videos, the greater chance you have of achieving massive success on the platform. I have watched YouTubers go from living in small spaces to building their dream home to throwing lavish weddings to traveling the world.
YouTubers are extraordinary folks who film life’s greatest milestones—I’ve watched proposals, marriages, breakups, divorces coming out stories, pregnancies, pregnancy loss, baby showers and much more. Most recently, and seemingly on trend, many of those YouTubers have decided to give the platform the old heave hoe, stepping back from creating content, their YouTube videos still up for the world to see.
It is not uncommon for content creators to take a break from YouTube. In the world of YouTube, content creators make videos announcing their departure from the platform. Some opt for taking a few weeks off while other content creators quit YouTube cold turkey, no announcement, no explanation, no goodbye. I find the YouTubers who simply disappear to be an interesting bunch, not in a bad way.
To prove my point, I decided to investigate one of the YouTubers I have been watching. In March 2023, Sam* shared that she and her husband of two years were expecting a baby girl. Sam was gracious with her content, posting aesthetically pleasing videos 3-4x a week. She moved, traveled and shared all things related to her little one. In her defense, and as her due date approached, Sam gave her audience a heads up that when she had her baby she would take time off from, not only her YouTube channel, all social media platforms. Sam never mentioned how long that break would be.
I respected Sam’s decision and didn’t think much of it. After a few months of not seeing Sam’s videos, I realized that she may have updated her subscribers on Instagram. I completely forgot that she said she would not post to other social media platforms. Curiosity consumed me; this led me to check Sam’s Instagram page.
Sam hadn’t posted on Instagram. I worried, thinking something bad might have happened. All I wanted to know was if she and baby were okay. I remember scrolling through the comments on her last Instagram Reel. I quickly discovered that I wasn’t the only one concerned about Sam. Sam’s Instagram followers had already done their own investigation—announcing in Sam’s comments that Sam’s husband announced on his Instagram page that they had welcomed daughter. I let out a huge sigh of relief.
Almost four months later, Sam still hasn’t posted a YouTube video, nor has she posted or updated her Instagram page. Those who haven’t come to terms with Sam’s disappearing act continued to leave abrasive comments on Sam’s Instagram, demanding her whereabouts, threatening to unfollow her or asking other followers for other YouTube channels similar to Sam’s. Most just want to know when she will return to social media, specially YouTube.
It remains unclear if Sam will return to YouTube. I loved her content and her channel had quickly become part of my daily routine. YouTube remains a wonderful resource for me and almost every Sunday, I get lost in a sea of channels that encourage me to bake, decorate, travel, style and so much more. My YouTube watch routine no longer includes Sam’s most recent upload. Yet, I still have my coffee, tea or sometimes hot chocolate, a fluffy blanket—and Home Movies with Alison Roman or Lone Fox to watch.
If and when Sam returns (she might not for years as another YouTuber I watch recently returned after having apologetically ghosted his channel for four years), or she just might return tomorrow. Nonetheless, I’ll be thrilled for sure.
*Sam’s name has been changed and so have a few specifics of her YouTube channel.
