On Oct. 17, the Business and Labor Interim Committee discussed how the law related to child influencer protections could change. Shari Franke, the daughter of the now-imprisoned “mommy vlogger” Ruby Franke, addressed the committee. Among other things, they were discussing how to financially protect minors from issues like using their likeness.
Rep. Doug Owens, who was present as Shari delivered her testimony, said that these discussions were designed to be educational. The Legislative Session is set to begin in January 2025.
“I don’t come today as the daughter of a felon nor as a victim of an abnormally abusive mother,” she began. “I come today as a victim of family vlogging.”
In February, Ruby Franke was sentenced to up to four years in prison after being found guilty of multiple counts of aggravated child abuse. While viewers had been raising concerns since 2020, Franke wasn’t arrested until 2024. This was when her malnourished 12-year-old son escaped from the family home.
What else did Ruby Franke’s daughter say?
In her testimony, Shari said that she wasn’t looking to find a solution to the problem: she just wanted to raise awareness. She said: “I want to be clear that there is never ever a good reason for posting your children online for money or fame. There is no such thing as a moral or ethical family blogger.”
She went on to add that as a child, she didn’t realize the impact filming would have on her life, recounting how she was treated like an “employee” and became isolated from her friends because nobody wanted to be on camera.
“Family vlogging ruined my innocence long before Ruby committed a crime,” she concluded. “Let’s tackle this issue before it becomes a bigger crisis than it already is.”
