By Mashable | Created at 2026-06-01 09:10:44 | Updated at 2026-06-07 14:13:32
6 days ago
The internet's pioneers are entering their legacy era
By
Crystal Bell
Digital Culture Editor
Crystal Bell is the Culture Editor at Mashable. She oversees the site's coverage of the creator economy, digital spaces, and internet trends, focusing on how young people engage with others and themselves online. She is particularly interested in how social media platforms shape our online and offline identities.
on June 1, 2026
VidCon's newest Hall of Fame class honors four creators who helped build online culture from the ground up. Credit: Courtesy of VidCon
VidCon is the leading global event for content creators, influencers, digital media brands, and fans. The convention features creator panels, live entertainment, networking opportunities, meet-and-greets, and industry discussions focused on the future of online video, social media, and the creator economy. More than 16 years after its debut, VidCon continues to shape the digital content industry and reflects the rise of content creation as a mainstream global business.
The first generation of internet creators is entering its legacy era.
Ahead of its 15th anniversary event later this month, VidCon announced the second class of inductees into its Hall of Fame, honoring four creators whose influence helped shape online culture as we know it: Markiplier, Philip DeFranco, Michelle Phan, and Blogilates founder Cassey Ho.
The creators will be formally inducted during VidCon Anaheim's Opening Night Celebration on June 25, the first day of the convention's three-day event.
Together, the four inductees represent some of the internet's earliest and most influential creator archetypes — the gamer, the news commentator, the beauty guru, and the fitness creator. Long before creators became billion-dollar businesses and brand deals became an industry unto themselves, each helped establish the playbook for what online influence could look like.
Markiplier's inclusion comes at a moment when creator careers are increasingly extending beyond the internet itself. His self-funded horror film Iron Lung grossed more than $50 million worldwide following its theatrical release earlier this year and its YouTube debut on May 31.
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Meanwhile, Philip DeFranco remains one of the platform's longest-running independent news voices. Since launching his channel in 2006, he has built a loyal audience around fast-paced commentary and analysis, helping define a format that countless creators would later adopt.
Michelle Phan's influence extends far beyond beauty tutorials. After becoming one of YouTube's earliest breakout stars, she co-founded IPSY, helping transform online beauty communities into a major force within the subscription cosmetics industry.
And Cassey Ho, known to millions as Blogilates, turned workout videos into a sprawling lifestyle and product empire built around direct community feedback, a creator-business model that has become increasingly common across the industry.
According to VidCon, this year's inductees were selected by a new Hall of Fame Selection Committee composed of creator economy experts, past inductees, and members of the VidCon Advisory Board.
"We launched the VidCon Hall of Fame to honor the legends who built the foundation of the creator economy, and we are thrilled to continue that tradition in 2026," Sarah Tortoreti, vice president of VidCon, said in a statement.
The ceremony will be open to all VidCon badge holders, and each inductee's custom Hall of Fame jersey will be displayed on the convention floor throughout the event.
Mashable will be on the ground at VidCon 2026, covering the creators, trends, and conversations driving internet culture, from breaking news and creator interviews to industry insights and live updates.
Crystal Bell is the Culture Editor at Mashable. She oversees the site's coverage of the creator economy, digital spaces, and internet trends, focusing on how young people engage with others and themselves online. She is particularly interested in how social media platforms shape our online and offline identities.
She was formerly the entertainment director at MTV News, where she helped the brand expand its coverage of extremely online fan culture and K-pop across its platforms. You can find her work in Teen Vogue, PAPER, NYLON, ELLE, Glamour, NME, W, The FADER, and elsewhere on the internet.
She's exceptionally fluent in fandom and will gladly make you a K-pop playlist and/or provide anime recommendations upon request. Crystal lives in New York City with her two black cats, Howl and Sophie.
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