For the last several years, parents have been using the media as a way to exploit their children in return for internet views and money. This issue has gotten out of hand as family vlogging has become a very popular source of income for families. While family vlogging seems innocent, many individuals don’t understand the dangers of posting children online. Uploading children online not only invades children’s privacy, but also gives this false idea that posting children to the internet is ok. Many individuals who persistently watch family vloggers don’t know the extent of what is happening behind the camera and need to understand this way of living should not be normalized.
One current example of the dangers of vlogging is the Ruby Franke case. Ruby Franke is a mother of six children, all of whom she documented on her “8 Passengers” YouTube account daily for several years. While documenting and promoting her family’s everyday life she abused her children’s privacy which allowed her to gain a large fan-base and audience.
As this behavior continued, her audience grew even more which opened many viewers’ perspectives on the disgusting films she was uploading online. In many of her recordings, people couldn’t help but notice that some things were off. In one video she had published, Chad, her eldest son, revealed his bed was taken after he “pulled a prank on his little brother.” It is one thing to punish your child but “taking his bed is a form of child abuse and this type of parenting is taking it to the extreme” says global news.
As many people became aware of what she was doing in front of the camera, behind the camera was a different story as Franke was persistently abusing her children. In August 2023, she was charged with multiple child abuse counts as one of her 6 children escaped her sight and ran to a neighbors house begging for food. The child was found “injured, emaciated with his wrists and ankles taped together” says Global news. She was found guilty and was charged with felony child abuse, as it was later found that she committed heinous acts of torturing, physical abuse, starvation and emotional harm. This opened the gateway to an investigation and an ongoing court case to this day.
As of currently, the former youtuber is in jail and will most likely not be released any time in the near future. So let’s not normalize family vlogging and let’s protect children’s privacy so they have a chance of growing up in a safe environment.
