Reality TV star Kate Gosselin recently posted a birthday tribute to four of her six sextuplets on their 20th birthdays. The supposed birthday snub reignites conversations about the Gosselin family drama and estrangement of Hannah and Collin Gosselin. Continued evidence of tense relationships within vlogging families most notably Ruby Franke’s prison sentence of four consecutive terms after pleading guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse brought further controversy to the content. 

During the case, state prosecutor Eric Clarke compared the Franke household to a “concentration camp-like setting” due to Franke’s “horrible acts of child abuse.” She was then sentenced to four charges of one to fifteen years in prison. 

Even months after her conviction, though, a multitude of sources continue to release new evidence on the chilling case. The Washington County’s Attorney Office publicized body cam footage, written evidence, and over 200 photographs of the crimes. 

The case being highly publicized, led to a multitude of reactions; while most were shocked at the news, many already were suspicious of Franke’s intensely strict household rules.

In 2020, 300 people signed an online petition for an investigation into the Franke family, citing controversial videos uploaded onto the family’s page: “8 Passengers.” Many similar videos depicting this treatment were released recently as well. 

The Franke case is a prime example of the rise and fall of family vlogging. 

From the Ace to the LaBrant families, family vlog channels had been dominating the algorithms, almost showing off their idealized lives: a young couple raising cute children. 

However, as a channel’s popularity rises, so does the money; and thus, the fall of the channel arises from the loss of relatability, according to psychology writer Ines May. 

This is when the concerns surrounding child exploitation and media ethics arise, as Franke’s case exemplifies. 

“I think that family vlogging can be a fun activity if done correctly and appropriately,” junior Leanna Romero said. “If not, it can end up becoming very traumatic for the children when it comes to economics and morals.”

In cases like these, often the parents exploit their children for fame and money. May cites one such interview where a former family vlogger stated that brands paid better if their children were a part of the advertisement. 

Especially in the context of the evidence released after the Franke court case, debate on consent, privacy, and the impact on children’s mental health and well-being rises to the table. 

Humboldt University researcher Sarah Stauff finds 56% of parents have shared “embarrassing information” about their child online and 27% have shared potentially inappropriate photos. Furthermore, parents sharing information about a child’s behavior issues, disability, or illnesses are detrimental to a child’s mental health and function. 

Thus, when filming home movies becomes a career rather than a pastime, the dynamic between the child and the parent shifts. Videos make revenue, so the children in the video are technically working a job.

“[The kids] are making content all the time,” Romero said. “It’s like child acting, but for social media, and even more, they’re not getting paid for it.”

However, it can be true that certain channels feature children who enjoy creating content. Should the existence of family vlogging be completely banned, or does it fall within a gray area? 

To a certain extent, having an activity that the whole family can participate in can connect the parents to the children and foster learning experiences, according to Romero. 

“As long as the kids are healthy and having fun, it’s okay,” she said. “But sometimes, it’s obvious that parents are exploiting their children, in sometimes very overt and suggestive ways.”

Overall, the topic isn’t black and white. While the genre of video shouldn’t be completely banned from the internet, it’s important for social media platforms to enact strict regulations and guidelines on such videos to foster both a safer online and physical environment.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Ivy Zhen at [email protected].