Shari Franke, the eldest daughter of controversial former Mormon family vlogger Ruby Franke, recently addressed Utah lawmakers as she advocates for legislation aimed at protecting child influencers.
At 21, Shari was a prominent figure on her mother’s YouTube channel 8 Passengers until Ruby was sentenced to 30 years in prison for child abuse earlier this year. The channel, which ran from 2015, showcased Ruby’s extreme disciplinary methods, including starving her children as punishment.
“I don’t come today as the daughter of a felon, nor a victim of an unusually abusive parent. I come today as a victim of family vlogging,” Shari told the Utah Senate committee during her poignant testimony.
Her remarks align with a growing movement in states like Illinois, Minnesota, and California, where lawmakers are pushing for child-influencer regulations akin to the Coogan Law for child actors.
These laws are designed to protect minors by ensuring that a portion of any earnings made from their appearances is set aside in a trust. “When children become stars in their family’s online content, they are child influencers,” Shari explained. “This is more than just sharing family moments; it’s a serious business with full-time demands.”
Shari pointed out that unlike traditional business environments, all the children involved in family vlogging are employees, often from the moment they are born until they turn 18.
In Utah, where the Church of Latter-Day Saints is prevalent, family influencers thrive due to their large families. Shari emphasized that there’s no justification for profiting off children’s lives online. “There’s no moral or ethical family vlogger,” she stated.
While describing her experiences, Shari noted that the financial gains from family vlogging had some benefits, but often came at a significant cost. “Occasionally, we were rewarded for filming embarrassing or private moments,” she revealed. “Even vacations were seen as part of the job.”
Unlike child actors bound by labor laws in Hollywood, child influencers operate without similar protections. Shari shared how her own awkward moments became content for wide audiences, highlighting the lack of privacy she faced, stating, “The camera never stops, and there’s never a break from filming.”
Shari Franke plans to share more of her experiences in her upcoming memoir, The House Of My Mother, set to be released on January 7.