Ruby Franke; The mother you don't want to be – The reflector

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Editor's Note: The following story contains discussion and depiction of child abuse. Reader discretion is advised.

Family vlogging channels have morphed into something else, and it's not for the better. What was once a carefree day in the lives of the families turned into a nightmare.

There is a big difference between capturing memories and exploiting children for viewers and monetization. These family channels raise many legitimate privacy concerns. Who is watching these videos? How can the child's safety be guaranteed? Is consent from a child even possible?

It is important to remember that most children who are filmed and exploited online are young, easily influenced, and grow up almost exclusively in front of the camera. Because of their early childhood, they leave a digital footprint that shapes them into adulthood. A special family vlogging channel is 8 Passengers. The children of the Franke family have a long and sad history behind them: they are exploited and neglected by their own mother outside of the camera.

Ruby Franke, “mother” and family YouTuber, was found guilty of child neglect along with her business partner Jodie Hildebrandt, according to a press release from the Washington County Attorney General in St. George, Utah. Franke's son Russell, then 12 years old, had escaped from Hildebrandt's house and was caught begging a neighbor for help. Franke neglected her youngest son. His living conditions were described as terrible and isolated, as he was forced to perform strenuous tasks while being denied food and water. When the young child initially tried to escape from his mother's abuse, he was restrained and had his legs tied together as punishment, the press release said. Franke is charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse, and this wasn't the first sign of neglect from the Franke family. In fact, there are countless traces of abuse in the channel's videos. One particular incident involves her eldest and youngest sons, Chad and Russell, when Franke expressed that her eldest son was punished for pranking his younger brother. To punish her son, she deprived him of his bedroom for seven months and forced him to sleep on a bean bag in what she describes as the “family room.” I understand the importance of teaching your children respect and responsibility, but Franke was extreme.

Additionally, Franke expressed in a vlog that her six-year-old daughter was responsible for packing her own lunch after she explained that her daughter was hungry at school. This particular situation makes me wonder why Franke wasn't confronted. She chose not feeding and feeding her hungry daughter who was far too young to feed herself. I know I relied heavily on my parents growing up. My mother and father made sure I always had something to eat, knowing that I wouldn't be able to pack and remember to eat my lunch on my own. The facts presented in the Franke case once again demonstrate the danger behind monetization and the creation of a platform for people like Franke. This should open people's eyes because it shows the true horrors of what can happen when children are reduced to clickbait.

As social media continues to evolve, I'm noticing an influx of parents posting their children on the popular app TikTok. I feel like these social media influencers are obsessed with making money even if it means endangering their children. It is well known that posting on the Internet is dangerous. I wonder why parents don't do more to hide their children's identities and personal information. The parents simply care about their income and not about the safety of their children. It is important for viewers to recognize the signs of child abuse, neglect and exploitation.

If you believe a child is suffering from neglect, contact Childhelp's, a nonprofit organization, through the Child Abuse Hotline at (800) 422-4453. We must prevent another Franke case because protecting children is important.