Ruby Franke’s daughter pleads with lawmakers to regulate family vlogging

As a follower and observer of the Franke family’s journey, I find myself deeply moved by Shari Franke’s courage and determination. Her heartfelt plea to protect child influencers from exploitation is a testament to her resilience and wisdom beyond her years.

In a recent hearing at Utah’s House of Representatives, Ruby Franke’s child, Shari Franke, stepped forward to bring attention to potential hazards associated with family vlogging. She earnestly requested that legislators consider implementing additional safeguards for child influencers.

Vlogger Ruby Franke, a disgraced member of her family, is presently incarcerated due to being charged with four counts of felony child abuse. This follows her arrest in August 2023 after two of her children were discovered to be suffering from severe malnutrition and had open wounds.

Ever since then, one of Franke’s daughters has been actively speaking out against her mother’s past actions, while another is using family vlogging as a platform to combat child exploitation.

Ruby Franke’s daughter pleads with lawmakers to regulate family vlogging

On October 16th, Shari Franke posted pictures from court on Instagram, accompanied by a detailed message, expressing her commitment to put an end to that specific practice.

She pointed out that when kids are prominently featured in their family’s digital content, they essentially become child social media influencers. It’s not merely about recording family life for the internet; it involves a professional setup, including staff, business expenses, management, and strategic marketing plans.

As a devoted fan, I’d like to point out an intriguing distinction between typical business vlogging and what we affectionately call ‘family vlogs’. Unlike in traditional businesses where adults form the workforce, in these unique ventures, the entire cast is made up of our cherished children. From their very first breaths to the day they turn 18, these little stars take center stage on YouTube, Instagram, and a myriad of other social media platforms.

Franke raised doubts about the actual cost endured by kids compelled to work unwillingly in their family’s productions, which often subjected them to public scrutiny during their most challenging times, with the ultimate goal of increasing viewership.

She clarified that some of her most-watched videos were when an eyebrow was inadvertently removed during waxing, revealing a distraught teen who yearned for privacy to grieve, but the entire world got to witness it instead.

Once, when I was extremely sick and landed the main part in our daily video, my friends seemed hard to come by. Since the shoots were scheduled, none of them wished to appear on screen. The camera is relentless, and there’s no escape from being filmed.

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A post shared by Shari Franke (@sharilfranke)

Looking back, if I had the chance to relive everything, I’d prefer to be financially struggling today than have my childhood memories scattered across the internet. Regardless of any monetary compensation, nothing can make the ordeal I’ve gone through worthwhile.

Ruby Franke became well-known as the creator of the ‘8 Passengers’ YouTube channel, where she shared her life with her husband and their six children. But in 2020, controversy arose over some disciplinary actions taken by Ruby, such as removing her son’s bedroom and making him sleep on a beanbag chair for almost half a year.

Come August 2023, it was me, along with my collaborator Jodie Hildebrant, who found ourselves facing charges for aggravated child abuse. The verdict handed down was a series of sentences ranging from one to 15 years in prison for each of us. However, neither of us will serve more than three decades behind bars.

2024-10-18 23:51

Ruby Franke’s daughter pleads with lawmakers to regulate family vlogging

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