The Dangers of Family Vlogging: Profiting Off Childhood
In the age of social media, personal lives are more public than ever, and for family vloggers, this often means putting their children in the spotlight for millions to see. While these channels may seem wholesome on the surface, they raise serious ethical questions about child privacy, consent, and exploitation. The recent case of 8 Passengers and the chilling revelations about Ruby Franke's abusive parenting have reignited concerns over family vlogging and its darker implications.
Current Family Vlogs & Their Controversies
Despite growing criticism, many family vloggers continue to thrive on YouTube, raking in millions of dollars from sponsorships, ad revenue, and brand deals. Popular family vloggers such as The ACE Family, The LaBrant Fam, and The Bee Family have been scrutinized for their content choices, including the exploitation of their children’s emotions for views.
These channels often share highly personal and sometimes inappropriate details about their children’s lives—documenting tantrums, punishments, and even private medical updates. Many argue that these kids, who are too young to consent, are having their privacy permanently erased for the sake of online fame and financial gain.
The ethical dilemma intensifies when considering that children in these videos are essentially working for their parents. Unlike child actors in Hollywood, YouTube kids aren't legally protected by strict labor laws, meaning their earnings, working hours, and emotional well-being are often unchecked.
The Ruby Franke Scandal: When Family Vlogging Turns Dangerous
One of the most horrifying examples of family vlogging gone wrong is the case of Ruby Franke and her infamous YouTube channel, 8 Passengers.
For years, the Franke family presented themselves as a wholesome, strict but loving Mormon household. However, viewers began noticing alarming signs of mistreatment, such as Ruby withholding meals as punishment or forcing her children to sleep on the floor. Despite backlash, the channel continued to grow, and Franke was able to monetize her harsh parenting style to a large audience.
Related: Where is Ruby Franke Now? The Shocking Truth Behind the 'Devil in the Family' Documentary
In 2023, the truth came to light in a shocking way when one of her children escaped from their home and alerted authorities. What investigators discovered was horrific—children who had been starved, physically abused, and even restrained with duct tape and chains. Prosecutors described the household as resembling a concentration camp in terms of the cruelty inflicted on the kids.
Ruby Franke and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, were both arrested and sentenced for child abuse. Her case raised serious questions about YouTube’s responsibility in allowing such content to flourish for so long.
A documentary, "Ruby Franke: Mom or Monster?", was later released, shedding further light on the extent of her crimes and how the warning signs were ignored for years. The case serves as a chilling reminder that not everything seen in family vlogs is as innocent as it seems.
The Exploitation of Childhood for Profit
One of the biggest ethical concerns about family vlogging is that children become financial assets rather than family members. Parents benefit from sponsorship deals, YouTube ad revenue, and even merchandise featuring their kids, but what do the children get in return?
Unlike traditional child actors, who are protected under laws like Coogan’s Law (which ensures that a percentage of their earnings is set aside in a trust), family vlog children have little to no financial protection. There's no guarantee that the money earned from their childhood appearances will be saved for their future.
Beyond financial exploitation, exposing children to millions of strangers online comes with extreme safety risks:
- Privacy Violations: Private details of a child's life—such as their school, hobbies, medical history, and emotional struggles—are broadcast for the world to see.
- Predators & Online Threats: Many of these videos are watched by people with bad intentions. In the past, YouTube has had to disable comments on some family vlogs due to predatory behavior from strangers.
- Mental Health Impact: As children grow up, they may struggle with boundaries, self-esteem, and anxiety from having their lives constantly scrutinized by an online audience. Many former child vloggers have spoken out about the emotional distress they suffered from having their most vulnerable moments shared with the internet.
The Future of Family Vlogging
Despite ongoing backlash, family vlogging remains a multi-million dollar industry, and as long as there’s an audience, people will continue to document their children's lives for profit. However, discussions around child exploitation and digital privacy are growing, and many are calling for regulation to protect children in influencer households.
Some states, like Illinois, have already passed laws requiring parents to set aside earnings for their children, but broader regulations are needed to address consent, working conditions, and online safety for young influencers.
As more cases like 8 Passengers come to light, it's becoming clear that YouTube, lawmakers, and audiences must rethink the ethics of family vlogging. Otherwise, more children will continue to have their childhoods exploited for the sake of entertainment and profit.
Would you let your entire childhood be broadcast to the world? If the answer is no, then maybe we need to rethink what we expect from family vloggers.
