Back in 2016, the idea of an ‘influencer’ was just emerging. But it didn’t take long for these online personalities to gain huge followings and completely reshape how we’re entertained, how we shop, where we get information, what media we enjoy, and even our food choices.
Online creators achieved massive success: YouTubers filled entire arenas, Instagram couples were celebrated as romantic ideals, and video game streamers and pranksters quickly earned millions.
Things have changed a lot in the last ten years. Many of the people who used to be everywhere online have either changed what they do, stopped creating content, or faded away completely. Some chose to step back because being constantly in the public eye was exhausting. Others faced scandals, switched to different platforms, or simply moved on with their lives.
With the internet currently enjoying a trend of reminiscing about 2016 and comparing it to 2026, and often remembering the past with fondness, itās natural to wonder what became of the popular online personalities from ten years ago.
Whether they were teen idols, controversial comedians, or respected artists, the stories of these formerly ubiquitous figures show what happens after fame fades ā when online attention decreases and they face the challenges of everyday life.
Hereās where some of the most famous online faces of 2016 are now:
THE PRANKSTER WHO GREW UP
Cameron Dallas, 31
In 2016, Cameron Dallas was everywhere online and quickly became a major celebrity. He had a huge following, with millions of fans captivated by his appearance ā often compared to Justin Bieber ā and his own Netflix show, making him a prime example of someone who rose to fame through the internet.
He first gained popularity in 2012 by posting funny videos and pranks on Vine, quickly becoming one of the platformās most well-known creators. This online success led to a Netflix reality show, Chasing Cameron, in 2016, which documented his travels and interactions with fans around the globe.
The show gained a reputation for being incredibly ordinary, famously featuring a scene of Dallas struggling to pour hairspray into a small travel bottle. It wasn’t renewed for another season.
Problems began to surface privately. In 2015, Dallas was arrested for vandalism, and in 2019, a Colorado court ordered him to perform 20 hours of community service for disruptive behavior. He later shared that he was also struggling with addiction, depression, and difficult family issues.
These days, Dallas lives a much more peaceful life in Los Angeles. Having gotten sober and stepping back from social media, he’s now concentrating on his music career, and has released a few tracks through his record deal with Columbia Records, though they haven’t been major hits yet.
He’s also starting a new company called Glas Energy, which makes organic energy drinks. This, along with his other ventures, gives him an estimated net worth of Ā£10 million.
He’s also dedicated to his family. He publicly announced his relationship with model Madisyn Menchaca on Instagram in 2020, and they welcomed their daughter, Indy Lee Dallas, in July 2025.
Oh my gosh, he shaved his head! It’s so different, he used to have the cutest curls, but thisā¦ this shows he’s really all grown up now. It’s like, a total transformation, and honestly? I’m living for it. It just proves he’s not just some boy anymore, he’s a man.
THE KING OF YOUTUBE BROUGHT DOWN BY A TOXIC RIVALRY
PewDiePie (Felix Kjellberg), 36
For much of the 2010s, PewDiePie wasnāt just a YouTuber, heĀ wasĀ YouTube.Ā
Felix Kjellberg, originally from Sweden, became incredibly popular online thanks to his gaming videos, commentary on other content, and the memes he helped create.
He became incredibly popular online, reaching over 100 million subscribers at his height. In 2016, Time magazine recognized his influence by including him on their list of the worldās most influential people, solidifying his legacy as a pioneer of the internet.
Despite achieving incredible popularity, Kjellberg also encountered significant criticism. He repeatedly faced public outrage over jokes considered offensive and accusations of using antisemitic symbols, which led to several major companies ending their business relationships with him in 2017.
The individual, who is Swedish, acknowledged the content was offensive but stated they did not endorse any form of hate.
Around the same time, PewDiePie gained worldwide attention for his competition with T-Series, an Indian film and music company, to be the most-viewed channel on YouTube.
PewDiePie faced bans in India for songs like “Bitch Lasagna” and “Congratulations,” where he directly criticized T-Series.
The pressure eventually became overwhelming for Kjellberg. Heās since discussed his struggles with stress and how he briefly developed a habit of drinking whisky every day. He was able to stop after finding solace in Buddhism.
He married Italian creator Marzia Bisognin in 2019, and together they moved from their large home in Brighton to Japan, seeking a quieter, more private life. They welcomed their son in 2023.
In 2025, Kjellberg announced he was officially stepping away from video games after 13 years.Ā
Over time, his channel has shifted to focus on lifestyle topics and videos about his hobbies. Now that he’s a father, he feels time is precious, and heās no longer as interested in spending it gaming.
Still worth an estimated Ā£50million, PewDiePie remains influential, but now on his own terms.
THE VLOGGER WHO PASSED THE BATON TO HER DAUGHTER
Sprinkle of Glitter (Louise Pentland), 40
Louise Pentland was once the warm, glitter-covered heart of British YouTube.Ā
Known online as Sprinkle of Glitter, she started building a dedicated following in 2010 by sharing content about beauty, fashion, and her personal life. This included vlogs about her pregnancy and even a video of her daughter’s birth.
As someone who keeps a close eye on the digital world, I remember when Pentland was everywhere on UK YouTube! She really ran with the biggest names ā think Zoe and Joe Sugg, Alfie Deyes, Tanya Burrā¦ she was collaborating with all the top creators at the time. It was a really exciting period for UK YouTube, and she was right in the thick of it.
In 2016, when she was at her most popular, she launched a clothing line with Simply Be, a retailer specializing in plus sizes.
After ten years, she’s much less active online. She’s only posted two videos to YouTube in the last year, but still has a large following with two million subscribers and 3.6 million Instagram followers.
Her second channel, Sprinkle of Chatter, hasnāt been updated in five years.
Despite everything, Anna Pentland remains a prominent figure. She’s published eleven successful books, hosted the popular podcast Mothersā Meeting in 2021, been a regular guest on the Lorraine show, and continues to partner with major brands like The Kingās Foundation, Warner Bros, and Jellycat.
Sheās signed to high-profile talent agency YMU, the same firm that represents Ant and Dec.
Alongside her successful career, Pentland’s personal life has also changed. She divorced her first husband in 2014 and later married Detective Inspector Liam OāNeill. They welcomed their daughter, Pearl, in 2018.
Life has taken me to beautiful Northamptonshire, and I’m so thrilled my wedding was featured in Hello! magazine. It’s wonderful to see my eldest daughter, Darcy Jane Pentland ā she’s 14 and from my first marriage ā blossoming into a social media personality! She’s already built quite a following on Instagram, with over 46,000 followers, which Iām incredibly proud of.
Pentland has been increasingly focused on the real estate market, tracking home buying, renting, and selling activity. It appears Louise has transitioned from a career involving glamour to one centered around more stable investments.
THE SHOCK JOCK HIT BY MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
Joji (George Kusunoki Miller), 33
George Miller’s impact on the internet is remarkable, representing one of the biggest changes the platform has ever undergone.
Miller first became well-known through his outrageous online characters, Filthy Frank and Pink Guy. He gained a dedicated fanbase with his shocking comedy, bizarre characters, and viral videos, notably contributing to the popular Harlem Shake dance craze.
By 2016, his videos and online content had become incredibly popular, attracting millions of followers and generating substantial income ā hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.
Almost suddenly, Miller stopped creating videos as his popular YouTube characters in 2017. He explained that health problems and a loss of motivation led to his permanent retirement from that type of comedy.
He suffered significant physical and mental health problems, including seizures and throat issues from intense performances. Eventually, he felt he had no option but to stop performing altogether.
Soon after, Miller transformed into a respected musician known as Joji. He gained recognition and a loyal following with his sad, low-fidelity music, a far cry from the content he originally created on YouTube.
Even though he hasn’t posted on his original channel for eight years, it still has almost eight million subscribers, and his videos continue to get millions of views.
Joji has over seven million followers on Instagram, but he prefers to keep his personal life private and doesn’t share much about it, especially while living in New York.
SOCIAL MEDIAāS GOLDEN COUPLE WHO WENT THEIR SEPARATE WAYS
Marcus Butler, 34, and Niomi Smart, 33
Marcus Butler and Niall Horan ā known to their fans as ‘Narcus’ ā were a popular couple who regularly shared videos about their lives on YouTube, becoming a fixture of the British platform in the mid-2010s. However, at the height of their success, Butler decided to leave the public eye.
He explained that he stopped enjoying making YouTube videos because it no longer felt creative. Over time, it had become focused solely on making money and felt more like a business deal than a passion project.
I’ve been following his work for years, and it’s amazing to see how he’s reinvented himself. These days, he’s mostly kept to himself in Berlin. He’s really immersed in the city’s underground music scene, DJing at smaller clubs, and you’ll almost always see him in black. Plus, he’s also built this really cool clothing brand called Ante ā it’s a total reflection of his style.
Niomi continues to create content, and she’s recently returned to her hometown of Brighton to enjoy a more relaxed lifestyle and the fresh sea air.
The creator of My Smart Skin, a natural skincare company, also teaches yoga. She connects with her three million followers on Instagram and YouTube, sharing advice on plant-based lifestyles and glimpses into her own life.
Marcus and Niomi aren’t a couple anymore, but they’ve stayed good friends and even started a sustainable fashion company together called Nu-in.
THE INVESTMENT BANKER STILL MAKING A MINT FROM MONEY VIDEOS
Patricia Bright, 38
Patricia Bright isn’t like most influencers; she’s built a successful career not only by staying relevant for a long time, but also by being a smart businesswoman.
Prior to becoming a YouTuber, she gained experience in the financial world, working at companies like Deloitte. This experience gives her a very down-to-earth and practical perspective when making videos.
Patricia Bright first gained popularity by creating videos about beauty and fashion. In 2016, she became one of the earliest Black British YouTubers to reach a million subscribers ā a significant achievement.
She broadened her interests to include finance, real estate, and starting her own businesses, becoming a well-respected and reliable source of information about money.
She created The Break, an online resource helping millennial women advance in their careers and manage their finances. She also partnered with well-known brands like Dior and MAC, and worked with a production company supported by Hillary Clinton to create a YouTube Originals series, ‘If I Could Tell You Just One Thing,’ which Bright hosted.
British Vogue hailed her as the architect of a āmulti-million-pound empireā.
Recently, there have been changes in Bright’s personal life. Although she still lives in London, she and her husband, Mike Pennells, who are parents to two children, seem to have separated.
The couple has publicly unfollowed each other and stopped working together on projects, but they are still committed to raising their children together. Bright has hinted at starting a new chapter in her life, moving forward after her marriage.
Even with shifts in the online world, sheās still a major presence, boasting 2.7 million followers on YouTube and over a million on Instagram. Unlike many influencers who rose to fame in 2016 and then faded, sheās successfully adapted and continued to grow her audience.
THE EXTREME SPORTS CREATOR HIT BY SCANDAL
Jay Alvarrez, 30
In 2016, clean-cut hunk Jay Alvarrez was the blueprint for aspirational Instagram culture.Ā
Alvarrezās Instagram feed captured the popular, feel-good aesthetic of 2016, featuring adventurous activities like skydiving and surfing alongside beautiful imagery of sunsets and couples enjoying the outdoors.
He and Alexis Ren were one of the most popular couples on social media in recent years, generating a lot of buzz and attention.
In 2017, the couple’s seemingly perfect life fell apart when they announced their separation. Since then, Alvarrez has stepped away from being a prominent social media personality. He now lives primarily in Bali, where he spends time with a small circle of friends who create content focused on extreme sports.
He’s worked with major brands like Armani, GQ, and British Vogue, and deliberately cultivates an air of mystery, always choosing to wear black.
A private, explicit video of Alvarrez using coconut oil with a model surfaced in 2020 and caused controversy when it was brought up on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast.
Rumours swirled that Alvarrez released it himself, though nothing was confirmed.
Even with the recent controversy, people who’ve met him say he’s friendly and personable. Apparently, his Instagram inbox is constantly full of messages from well-known women with verified accounts.
THE LA SATIRIST WHO STEPPED AWAY
Jenna Marbles, 39
Jenna Marbles did what almost no influencer has managed: she left completely ā and stayed away.
Jenna Nicole Mourey, a comedian and satirist, was hugely popular on YouTube in the mid-2010s, gaining over 20 million subscribers and 1.8 billion views ā making her one of the platform’s most-loved personalities.
Her humour was absurd, self-deprecating and created endless memes.
In 2020, she posted a final video addressing some older content that contained racist imagery, specifically a 2011 impression of Nicki Minaj where she used blackface. She admitted it was wrong, apologized, and announced she was taking a break from creating content ā and then she stopped posting altogether.
She disappeared years ago and hasn’t come back. While some of her older videos are now private, her channel continues to attract millions of views and still brings in around Ā£10,000 each month from dedicated fans.
She currently lives privately in Los Angeles, where she supports her husband’s work as a Twitch streamer by helping him create content.
In an industry that rewards constant reinvention, Jenna Marbles chose accountability and absence.
THE YOUTUBE BREAKOUT STAR WHOāS STILL AT IT
Fred (Lucas Cruikshank), 32
Lucas Cruikshank was YouTubeās first true breakout star.Ā
Fred Figglehorn, known for his loud and wild videos, was the first YouTube creator to reach one million subscribers. He then expanded the character into a full-fledged franchise, including movies, a TV show, and appearances on Nickelodeon.
By 2016, he had started creating content geared more towards teenagers and young adults, though he remained just as popular as ever.
Now living in Nebraska, Cruikshankāwho goes by Lucasācontinues to create content, focusing on comedy and videos of him trying American foods. He’s remained active longer than many of his fellow creators.
His channel boasts more than 3.3million subscribers, which beats the original Fred channel.
Cruikshank came out publicly as gay in 2013 and later married Australian model Matthew Fawcus.Ā
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve seen a lot of creators come and go, but it’s inspiring to see someone like him. He’s now worth around Ā£5 million, which is fantastic, but what really stands out is how heās built on his early YouTube success without trying to hide or disown it. Thatās a rare and smart move ā so many creators try to reinvent themselves completely, but he’s managed to evolve while staying true to his roots.
Fred may belong to 2016 ā but Lucas Cruikshank is still here.
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2026-01-21 15:10