Who belongs in the internet Hall of Fame? We asked the people already in it.
This year, VidCon did something it had never done before: it honored the creators who helped build the internet as we know it. At the first-ever Hall of Fame ceremony, nine iconic YouTubers — including Joey Graceffa, Tyler Oakley, Rhett & Link, Rosanna Pansino, Hank Green, Grace Helbig, and the SMOSH duo — were inducted for their lasting impact.
Naturally, we had to ask them: Who else deserves a spot?
Who should VidCon induct into its Hall of Fame next?
One name came up again and again: Philip DeFranco. The content creator has 6.6 million subscribers and has been on YouTube since 2006, so next year would mark two decades on the site. Helbig and the SMOSH co-founders both remarked that his cultural critique and news videos are still making an impact on the internet today.
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Helbig also noted, "I mean, we have half of a Green brother; I think we need the other Green brother." John Green is one-half of the VlogBrothers channel and co-founded VidCon alongside his brother Hank, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2025. Off the internet, John Green is the author of several bestselling novels, including The Fault in Our Stars.
SMOSH co-founders Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla, as well as Hank Green, all mentioned that lonelygirl15 had earned a place in the Hall of Fame for her vlogs, which took YouTube by storm 19 years ago. She is widely credited as one of the first viral stars for her vlogs, which were later revealed to be a production created by Miles Beckett, Mesh Flinders, Greg Goodfried, and Amanda Goodfried.
Another name repeated amongst the honorees, like Joey Graceffa and Rosanna Pansino, was iJustine. She has garnered over 7 million subscribers in her 19 years on YouTube. Her tech-focused content focuses on product reviews and interviews with tech CEOs.
Tyler Oakley recommended GloZell, the YouTuber with 4.54 million subscribers who nearly broke the internet with her cinnamon challenge that has racked up 60 million views.
Other YouTubers who received shoutouts from the inductees included Ingrid Nilsen, Lilly Singh, Captain Sparklez, Fred, VSauce, and Ze Frank. But who will actually earn a spot in the VidCon Hall of Fame next year? We'll stay tuned to find out.
Boston-based Shopping Reporter, Samantha Mangino, covers all things tech at Mashable, rounding up the best products and deals. She’s covered commerce for three years, spending extensive time testing and reviewing all things home, including couches, steam irons, and washing machines. She thoroughly vets products and internet trends, finding out if those cozy gamer chairs are really as comfortable as TikTok claims.
