Ruby Franke’s 11-year-old daughter has opened up about the difficult experiences she faced while being part of her mother’s popular family vlog. During a legislative hearing in Utah, her father, Kevin Franke, read a statement on her behalf, highlighting the emotional toll that being filmed for the YouTube channel took on her. This comes after Ruby was found guilty of serious child abuse and sentenced to several years in prison.
In her statement, the young girl shared that she initially thought there was nothing wrong with participating in their family’s videos and believed she was happy. However, she later realized that the YouTube channel had negatively impacted her childhood. She mentioned that she worked hard for money from the channel, but all of it was withdrawn by her mother in 2023.
The child expressed her feelings of exploitation, saying, “I acted like someone I wasn’t in front of the camera,” and felt that her mother used her for financial gain. She hopes that lawmakers in Utah will pass a bill requiring online content creators who earn over $150,000 a year from videos featuring children to set aside some of that money in a trust fund for those kids.
She also spoke about the lasting effects of her experiences, noting that she struggles to make friends and feels a constant need for attention. Her sister, 16, echoed her feelings, explaining how kids often don’t realize the extent of what they give up when they are filmed and shared online.
Both sisters wish for changes in the law to protect other children from similar situations, emphasizing that no amount of money can replace the loss of childhood and privacy they feel they have experienced. Their father, Kevin, admitted feelings of regret over his family’s vlogging past and recognized the harm it caused.
Ruby and Kevin began sharing their family life through their YouTube channel “8 Passengers” in 2015, presenting a strict parenting style that later raised concerns and led to investigations. Ruby stopped posting in 2022 and later faced legal troubles alongside her former business partner.
Their oldest daughter, Shari Franke, has since written about her experiences in a memoir, revealing the damage done by having one’s life so publicly shared. She believes there is no ethical way to engage in family vlogging.
If you suspect child abuse, it is important to seek help. Various resources, like the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline, are available 24/7 and offer confidential support.
