'Ruined my childhood': Ruby Franke's daughters reveal 'trauma' they live with after family YouTube channel

Ruby Franke's daughters have spoken about the 'trauma' they suffered from being a part of their mother's vlogging in passionate statements. 

Kevin Franke, the girls' father, wants legislation passed that could protect other children financially from what their family went through with his ex-wife, before she was later convicted of aggravated child abuse and sentenced to four to 60 years in prison.

The 11-year-old, whose identity has not been shared, said she initially "thought nothing was wrong" with taking part in her family's YouTube videos, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.

But she hopes the bill will be passed to keep other children safe, because she knows "about the horrible situation that a lot of kids are in right now."

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"When I started getting older, I realised the YouTube channel had ruined my childhood. But at least I got some money, right? Oh, right, I actually didn't, because my mum withdrew all of it in 2023," she said.

"I worked hard for that money. I acted like someone I wasn't in front of the camera, and I earned that money. But I feel like my mum used me for money."

In her statement, she added that the impact being a part of the family vlogging has had is still with her today. 

"I know I am stuck with the trauma of YouTube," the 11-year-old continued.

"Even now, I can barely make friends, because my whole life I was the centre of the attention. But now, without even realising it, I seek attention from others, or I feel like they don't like me. Then those people think I'm mean."

Ruby's daughter then explained that she hoped Utah lawmakers would consider passing a bill that would require online creators who make more than $150,000 a year from content featuring children to set aside a portion of it into a trust fund for their little ones.

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Her 16-year-old sister had similar feelings about the bill and hopes it will prevent other kids from going through what she and her siblings have. 

"As kids, you don't realise what you're subjected to, really," the teen said.

"You're selling your life, your privacy, your body and stories to the entire world. And as a child, you're involuntarily giving up all of that. You're selling your childhood.

"This bill will prevent other kids from having to go through the pain of realising that the compensation for years worth of time and effort is suddenly gone."

Franke's daughter then explained that she hoped Utah lawmakers would consider passing a bill that would require online creators who make more than $150,000 a year from content featuring children to set aside a portion of it into a trust fund for their little ones.

She added that if something like this was in place, her mother wouldn't have been able to withdraw all of the savings she had from doing YouTube. 

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Franke started '8 Passengers', a parenting advice YouTube channel, in 2015, which featured herself, Kevin, their six children, and their life in Utah. 

She had gained over 2 million subscribers before deleting the account in 2022, when she and Kevin split. 

Franke moved on from the YouTube channel to join the "ConneXions" parenting advice podcast with a local Mormon therapist, Jodi Hildebrandt.

Franke and Hildebrandt were arrested on child abuse charges in August 2023.

In the aftermath of her arrest, YouTube deleted the parenting social media influencer's "8Passengers" and "ConneXions" channels and banned her from the platform.

Franke was later convicted of aggravated child abuse and sentenced to four to 60 years in prison, Hildebrandt received the same sentence.

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