Former children’s influencer Shari Franke talks about the horrors of her mother’s YouTube channel | Trends

Former child influencer Shari Franke, whose mother was sentenced to 30 years in a Utah prison for child abuse, has spoken out about what it was like growing up in an atmosphere where every vulnerable moment of her life was filmed.

Ruby Franke ran the popular YouTube channel 8 Passengers from 2015 until she pleaded guilty to abusing her 12-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter.

“I come today not as the daughter of a criminal or the victim of an abnormally cruel mother. I come today as a victim of family vlogs,” Shari said while testifying to US lawmakers.

“I was paid to film awkward moments.”

Shari started by saying that there was never a good reason to post your children online for money or fame. “It’s more than just filming your family life and posting it on the Internet. It’s a full-time job, with employees, business credit cards, managers and marketing strategies,” Shari said.

Shari said that like many child influencers, she was paid for her work, and that money helped her in her adult life. “Usually this money was a bribe. For example, we were rewarded with $100 or a shopping trip if we filmed an awkward moment. Some of our most popular videos were when I accidentally got my eyebrow waxed and the whole world saw a crying teenager who just wanted to mourn herself in private,” she said.

“How to determine how much to pay a child. At what cost is it worth giving up your childhood? she asked.

“If I could go back and do it all again, I’d rather have an empty bank account now than have my childhood smeared all over the internet. No amount of money I received was worth what I went through,” she shared.

Shari said she is committed to ending family vlogging and raising awareness about online child exploitation through family vlogging.

(Also read: Influencer faces backlash for using sacred Shinto gates as exercise equipment in Japan)

Who are Shari and Ruby Franke?

Shari’s mother, Ruby Franke, ran a YouTube channel called. “8 Passengers” focuses on the daily life of a family. On the channel, Ruby shared parenting tips with Jodi Hildebrandt, another content creator.

However, it was reported that the duo abused Ruby’s younger children to convince them that they were evil, possessed and in need of punishment.

(Also read: Pakistani YouTuber criticized for recording her visit to her sister’s grave. Viral video)

Ruby’s 12-year-old son escaped from Jody’s house and ran to a neighbor’s house, asking them for food and water. A neighbor told police the boy was “malnourished,” had open wounds and “deep lacerations from being tied with rope.” The 12-year-old boy told police that Jodi applied cayenne pepper and honey to their wounds.

During a search of their home, a 10-year-old girl was found in a “similar physical condition from malnutrition.”

Both women pleaded guilty to aggravated child abuse and were each sentenced to 30 years in prison.