With almost ten million followers, the YouTube channel Jubilee promises to “provoke understanding & create human connection.” For years they have promised to show all sides of the political spectrum by bringing on different people to discuss and come to consensus.
With series like Spectrum, showing “the variety of beliefs within an individualized group to break down stereotypes and showcasing complexities,” and Middle Ground, exploring “whether two different groups of people, opposed in their beliefs, can come together empathetically and find middle ground,” Jubilee attempts to grapple with different perspectives.
Their most famous episodes of Middle Ground, Flat Earthers vs. Scientists, Men’s Rights vs. Feminism, and Trump Supporters vs. Immigrants, feature highly polarized topics. In each episode, Jubilee allows for both groups to discuss their sides and try to achieve a middle ground. Each group is four to five people who either agree or disagree with a specific prompt, in which they would step forward and elaborate further with those also in agreement.
Despite their seemingly politically centered angle, Jubilee has brought highly conservative figures like Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, and Myron Gaines, from the Fresh and Fit Podcast, on their channel.
Jubilee’s problem is not its right-wing bias. Rather, it is the disguising of such as a bipartisan channel, coming from a middle ground. Furthermore, Jubilee brings on people who are already prolific debaters and speakers, not just common people with opinions.
For example, in the video “Liberal Lesbians vs. Conservative Lesbians,” three of the four conservative women already had large social media followings discussing their political values. These women are adept at discussing and inculcating their political beliefs. Being put up against women who don’t necessarily monetize their discussion of politics, and who likely have less experience talking about them, the conservative women seem more prepared and more convincing.
More than allowing opinions to be shared in a bipartisan way, Jubilee gives a platform to radical people—making their opinions seem common—allowing them to preach their harmful and misleading rhetoric.
Their show Surrounded features one person in the middle and 25 other people who directly disagree with them. The videos begin with the person in the middle making a controversial statement that makes the surrounding people upset. The person in the middle often has more debate experience, leading to a situation where the people on the outside have a hard time having their voices heard.
This is exemplified in “Can 25 Liberal College Students Outsmart 1 Conservative.” Bringing Charlie Kirk, the Turning Point USA millionaire, and putting him against 25 “liberal” college students, viewers might think that Kirk is outnumbered. Yet, his copious debate experience, as well as his constant interrupting of his fellow debaters, makes this “debate” seem more like a berating.
Even the titles of the videos themselves show their slant. Titles like “Ben Shapiro vs Tiktok Debater,” “Did Slavery Affect Your Family,” and “Can 1 Woke Teen Survive 20 Trump Supporters” are filled with loaded language that sparks clicks and hate.
The channel thrives off of controversy; that is why their business model works. The more controversy and anger they are able to instill in the viewers, the more clicks and likes–and thus money–they are able to get.
While not all their videos share these qualities, their claims of being bipartisan all-around make Jubilee and their content dangerous. Although they promise to “provoke understanding,” all their videos do is propagate harmful rhetoric, give radicals a platform, and make viewers angry.
