30 May 2022
Ryan was four years old when he started unboxing toys on camera in 2015. A few years later-assisted by his mother, who left her job as a high school teacher to work with him full time-he was YouTube's highest-earning star, of any age. He made a record-breaking $29.5 million in 2020, releasing daily videos that blur the line between entertainment and commerce. His channel, now called Ryan's World, has generated more than 60 billion views. I found out about Ryan when my then-four-year-old son became enamored with the videos. As Ryan opened boxes and talked about new toys, he created a virtual space of limitless wonder for kids-including my own.
