text: YouTube’s top trending content at the moment isn’t an advertisement, music video, or movie trailer. It is not a viral challenge video, nor is it something about Fortnite. Instead, it’s a shockingly raw breakup video featuring two of YouTube’s biggest comedy vloggers, Liza Koshy and David Dobrik. 
   
   Liza Koshy, 22, is best known for going to stores and causing improvisational mischief, often featuring random items that anyone can buy. David Dobrik, 21, has also made a name for himself through funny vlogs, many of which feature his relationship with Koshy. Combined, the two have over 21 million subscribers, making them one of the most visible power couples on the platform. Except that the two broke up six months ago, according to a video uploaded yesterday. 
   
   The split may come as a surprise to some fans, given that the two have been uploading videos with each other this entire time. Just two weeks ago, Dobrik shared footage of him surprising Koshy with a puppy, and before that, there was another video in which he brings her a monkey. But according to the pair, the two had grown apart enough that staying in a relationship just didn’t make sense anymore: they were leading separate lives. 
   
   ”Liza broke up with me because she felt like we’ve been kinda distant, because we’ve just been so busy, period,” Dobrik said. 
   
   The video’s popularity is not entirely thanks to the viewers who normally follow the everyday minutia of their favorite YouTubers. It’s gone viral because of how obvious it is that the two deeply care for one another. They joke around, they crack up, they cry. They sing each other’s praises and talk about how they’re still best friends. They make jabs about future boyfriends and girlfriends. When Koshy says that she is going through something and that she needs to love herself before she can love someone else, she knows it’s cliché — so you believe her. It helps that she pokes fun at herself. “This is gonna sound so lame, but I really want to spread love but I have to have it first, you know?,” Koshy says, laughing. “It’s like saying you’re gonna spread mayonnaise when you only have mustard.” 
   
   Where before partners might consider joining their banking accounts, lovers in 2018 have to think about what it means to merge their brands 
   
   At this point, breakups are their own genre of video on YouTube, and plenty of couples have announced a separation in front of the camera. Where before partners might consider joining things like banking accounts or bills, lovers in 2018 have to think about what it means to merge your brand with someone else’s. You don’t have to be a big YouTube star to think about when you make a relationship Instagram official, how much a partner should be mentioned on your social media feeds, or even what labels you publicly use for one another. To what degree should you own your relationship online? How will that relationship define you in the eyes of others on the internet? Even a simple tagged photo carries a much bigger meaning for some of us. You don’t want to give people the wrong idea about where things stand with certain people — or maybe you do want to send a very specific message out there. 
   
   While most of us can simply stop tagging an ex on our social media accounts, YouTubers with channels revolving around their lives don’t have that luxury. Their entire livelihoods could be at risk if they disappoint or upset the audience following them. As ridiculous as it might sound, there’s a real need for disclosure regarding where they stand with those regularly featured in their videos. If nothing else, airing everything out this publicly is a preventative measure that could minimize the chance that either person will get harassed by fans who believe one person ought to be blamed for the breakup. 
   
   Koshy and Dobrik know they’re operating within this strange space. They waited a long time to tell YouTube fans because they were both angry that they grew apart in the first place. And while we all know that what influencers show us is just a well-edited sliver of a much bigger picture, there’s a subtext of realness here. Koshy jokes that she could have wiped away her tears and fix up her appearance, but that wouldn’t be authentic. You believe her. More than that: you can’t help but watch and think, Man, I wish I had had a breakup as healthy as this one. ||||| This was a very very stupid idea. I got 7 stitches because of us just being idiots lol. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME! We had to call an ambulance. Lizas reaction is at the end. Youre gonna cringe!!Video i made with Jason Nash: https://www.youtube.com/wat... ...GO BUY THE NEW MERCH: https://fanjoy.co/collectio... ...LIZA AND I DO A CHALLENGE HERE: https://www.youtube.com/wat... ....Go follow Joe on instagram! he filmed all of this: @UghItsJoeOutro song is by Bishop Briggs! Follow her on insta: @thatgirlbishopComment how much you love our bunny if you read this!ADD ME ON SNAPCHAT TO BE INVITED TO OUR HOUSE NEXT:@DavidDobrikThanks for watching :) Throw it a like if you like throwing stuff!Turn my notifications on these to be the next shoutout!!Twitter: @DavidDobrikInstagram: @DavidDobrikSnapchat: @DavidDobrikVine: @DavidDobrikMusically: @DavidDobrikBusiness email: daviddobrikbusiness@gmail.comOther people in the video:Bignik- Snapchat: @bignikvine Twitter: @BigNik Instagram: @RealBigNikLiza- Twitter; @lizakoshy Instagram; @lizakoshy Snapchat; @lizakoshysnapsSeth - Twitter/Instagram: @whois_sethJack Dytrych: Twitter: @BigJuicyJack Instagram: jdytrych22Cailee: Twitter/Instagram: @CaileeRaeMusicCorinna- Twitter/Instagram: @CorinnaKopfJason Nash- Twitter and Instagram; @JasonNashHeath- Twitter; @HeathHussar Instagram; @HeathHussar Snapchat; @HeathHussarAlex Ernst- Twitter; @AlexErnst Instagram; @Ernst Snapchat; @AlexErnstThe Gabbie Show- Twitter; @TheGabbieShow Instagram; @TheGabbieShow Snapchat; @TheGabbieShowZane- Twitter; @Zane Instagram; @Zane Snapchat; @ZaneHijaziScottysire- Twitter; @imnotscottysire Instagram; @VanillaDingDongToddysmith- Twitter; @todderic_ Instagram; @todderic_Dom: Twitter/Instagram: @DurteDomJulia Abner- Instagram; @JuliaAbnerCarly incontro- Twitter/Instagram: @CarlyIncontroErin Gilfoy- Twitter and Instagram: goddess_eriu Snapchat: erin_gilfoyDom: Twitter/Instagram: @DurteDomElton Castee- Twitter; @EltonCastee, Instagram; @EltonCasteeBrandon Calvillo- Twitter; @BJCalvillo Instagram; @BJCalvillo Snapchat; @BJCalvilloMeghan McCarthy- Twitter: @MeghanWMcCarthyJcyrus snapchat: @Jcyrusvine Show less ||||| Liza’s getting frustrated juggling all the gigs she has to hold down. Does she have so much side hustle that there’s no time for main hustle? She’s determined to find out, but she's distracted by a sick cat, a jigsaw puzzle, and a trip to the hottest dessert pop up in Los Angeles.Available with YouTube Premium - https://www.youtube.com/pre... .... To see if Premium is available in your country, click here: https://goo.gl/A3HtfP ||||| Image copyright David Dobrik / YouTube 
   
   YouTube couple David Dobrik and Liza Koshy have announced their separation in an emotional video online. 
   
   The pair had dated since 2015 and built a combined audience of more than 20 million Youtube followers. 
   
   The say in their video they split six months ago but waited until this week to tell their fans. 
   
   "It wasn't healthy for us to continue to be together - for now," says David in the six minute video. 
   
   "You never know what could happen, but just not now." 
   
   They both admitted the pressure of their YouTube careers had been a factor in their split. 
   
   (Warning: contains language some viewers may find offensive) 
   
   "Liza broke up with me because she felt like we've been distant because we've been so busy," David added. 
   
   "As much as I hate to admit it, I was feeling it on my side too but I just don't have the balls to pull the trigger on that." 
   
   "We felt like we were living separate lives but neither of us was coming to terms with it," said Liza. 
   
   "So I decided we should break up. We didn't want to tell anybody because we were just so angry at the fact we distanced in the first place." 
   
   "We did nothing to each other to cause a break up. 
   
   "We have a lot of growth and development and learning and loving to do." 
   
   The American couple both insist they are best friends and that their break-up is amicable. 
   
   Could the split impact their career? 
   
   David and Liza have been described as the Posh and Becks of YouTube. But Tassilo Labuzinski, the founder of branding company Socially Powerful, says their separation should have little impact on their individual status or future earnings. 
   
   "I don't see the break-up being a negative thing for either of them," Tassilo tells Newsbeat. "I think it's oversimplified to say they are the Posh and Becks of the internet and they only come as a package." 
   
   He also believes fans of the pair's "tongue in cheek, quick and witty" content would be understanding if they got back together. 
   
   "The couple are free to take it any way they want," he adds. "They could make another video and say; 'Look, we've actually decided we love each other too much and we want to be together,' and that's going to get more attention. 
   
   "I don't think there's going to be a negative backlash on them in any form." 
   
   In early 2018, Newsbeat made a documentary about the pressures on YouTube couples to stay together. 
   
   Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Ben delves into the world of online couples for the latest Newsbeat Documentary, YouTube couples: How to stay in love 
   
   Many fans of David and Liza have reacted with shock and upset to the news. 
   
   Others have praised the message shared by the couple in their break-up video. 
   
   And some are holding out hope that their split will be temporary. 
   
   Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. 
   
   Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 every weekday on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - if you miss us you can listen back here.
target: – It's 2018, which means that when a 21-year-old and a 22-year-old who have become YouTube stars together break up, they don't—they can't—do so privately. And that's how a six-minute video in which popular comedy vloggers David Dobrik and Liza Koshy tearfully discuss their split became, on Wednesday, the top trending content on YouTube. As the Verge (which calls Koshy and Dobrik "one of the most visible power couples on the platform") explains for those unfamiliar, Koshy rocketed to YouTube stardom thanks to prank videos often filmed at stores, while Dobrik's popular video blogs often featured him and Koshy goofing around. Thanks to the intensely public nature of their relationship, it was necessary to come clean to fans about their breakup, which happened six months ago but about which they didn't feel ready to vlog until now. They had been together since 2015 and have a combined 20+ million YouTube followers, the BBC reports. Their breakup video, appropriately titled "we broke up," has received more than 22 million views so far. The coverage is fascinating: