Years ago, family vloggers began to appear on YouTube. What started as a way for parents to share special moments with viewers has now become an exploitative and invasive practice toward children.
15 years ago, YouTube's "first family," the Shaytards, began sharing home videos and gained a significant following. At their peak, they received up to 4 million views on their YouTube videos and filmed multiple days a week. Today, they post twice a month.
From there, more families posted videos of their children on YouTube. Over the years, family vlog channels have attracted many viewers and made a lot of money, especially now on TikTok and Instagram.
Due to a lack of child labor laws regarding content creation, children are often placed in front of a camera and expected to draw viewers. Over the years, vlog families have begun receiving backlash for making private moments public, such as a fight between siblings or disciplinary action.
"8Passengers," a YouTube family by Ruby Franke, followed the lives of Franke, her husband and her six kids, but people quickly picked up on moments that did not feel right.
In 2020, Franke posted that she took away her eldest son's bed for seven months, and she explained her decision in a YouTube video with her eldest son sitting with her. A clip from the video that has since been removed was shared on Law & Crime Network.
"Chad showed that he was not able to manage himself sharing a room with (redacted)," said Franke. "What you guys didn't know was Chad didn't get any room. He was sleeping on the floor in the family room."
Franke was arrested in August 2023, along with her business partner Jody Hildebrandt, after Franke's children were found in a neglected state. Franke was charged with four charges relating to child abuse and faces up to 60 years in prison.
"Officers from the Santa Clara Public Safety Department responded to Hildebrandt's home in Ivins, Utah, after a neighbor called 911 to report that Franke's allegedly 'emaciated’ 12-year-old son knocked at his door asking for help, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by PEOPLE," wrote PEOPLE writer Sean Neumann.
This is one of the most serious cases recently reported, but many other vloggers have faced controversy and made headlines.
TikToker Jacquelyn posts innocent videos of her child, including her showing off her outfits of the day and eating various foods. However, the number of views and saves on these TikToks is disturbing some users and leaving them concerned for the child's safety.
"A lot of these videos are out there," said content creator Brandon Conner, who posted about the controversy. "(They are getting) millions of views, and hundreds of thousands of people save these videos. They are likely not so good people."
Jacquelyn came under fire in 2022 for the same issue. However, she filmed a response and posted it for her viewers. They described the video as scripted and defensive.
"(My daughter) is my number one priority, and her upbringing and safety are my top job 24 hours a day," said Jacquelyn. "This account has allowed me to provide for my daughter and set money aside for her future."
Some families who gained fame from posting their children on TikTok have since stopped posting their children's faces to avoid them growing up in front of a camera.
Maia Knight, who rose to fame after posting videos about life with twins, said she always had plans to stop showing her kids faces once they were toddlers.
"I'm making a choice for my daughters to protect them," said Knight in a 2022 TikTok. "I'm not taking a big stance about showing your kids or not online. I'm just doing what's best for me and my daughters."
Viewers of various videos have raised concerns about children being sexualized, stalked or kidnapped. Innocent pictures of children that would not warrant a second glance by most have been prime targets for online pedophiles, particularly adult men. Some parents stop filming altogether to avoid their children being recognized past a certain age. Troubling interactions between child influencers and predatory adults have also taken place.
Knight has since continued to make videos without showing her children's faces. Today, she creates content about living a country mom lifestyle and cooking food for her family.
One TikTok user began making content about the possible horrors of family vlogs. Caroline Easom, known for skits and storytelling, began posting the "Sandwich Family" series on her TikTok page. The series follows a fictional family of vloggers who fake their ages to appear younger, keep money from their children and fake illnesses and disorders for views.
"They are seen as these content machines, and they are presented to the audience like products," Easom told News 5 in Cleveland. "My content intends for you to ask, 'Why do I have access to this child being disciplined?'"
Inspired by Easom's skits, State Representatives Michele Grim and Lauren McNally proposed House Bill 376. This bill would make it a law for parents who feature their children in vlogs to allocate a percentage of the money made per year to a trust fund, which they can access when they turn 18.
"I believe strongly in the power of storytelling to get people to care about issues they might not have otherwise cared about," said Easom. "I will continue to use storytelling to talk about the things that are important to me."
