Shari Franke Discusses the Impact of Vlogging on Family Dynamics

Ruby Franke’s children will carry the trauma of her actions forever.

On the “Sunday Sports Club” podcast, aired on December 14, Shari Franke, Ruby’s eldest daughter, discussed her family’s experiences as vloggers on the “8 Passengers” YouTube channel.

At 22, Shari revealed how their upbringing as child content creators affected her relationships with her siblings, especially with her brother Chad, who is 20. (Ruby, now 43, has four younger children with her ex-husband, Kevin Franke, who regained custody after Ruby’s child abuse conviction and their subsequent divorce.)

“It significantly impacts our family relationships offline as well,” Shari shared with host Allison Kuch, reflecting on the consequences of “turning kids into content.” She added, “It affected my relationship with my brother for a time. We couldn’t even stand next to each other in pictures or hug. While we laugh about it now, it was genuinely concerning for a while.”

Shari mentioned there were moments when people questioned the nature of her and Chad’s relationship, which caused mistrust between them.

“After going to the hospital for something, I posted a picture and received comments like, ‘Oh, are you having your brother’s abortion?’ As a 17-year-old, or any person, that’s just horrific,” she expressed. “Such experiences strained our relationship off-camera. Over time, it became apparent that my younger self would always be online, motivating me to help other kids avoid similar situations.”

Shari’s book, The House of My Mother, describes the abuse faced under Ruby’s care. She emphasized that followers of families on social media can never truly grasp the reality behind closed doors.

“You’ll never see the footage of parents yelling at their kids—why would they show that?” Shari remarked. “It’s impossible to know that what happened to my family isn’t happening to others behind the scenes. Many assume, ‘Your mom was just the problem,’ but family vlogging itself is part of the issue.”

Later in the episode, Shari suggested that while many families claim they vlog to share experiences, the motivation is often financial gain.

“Most family content creators might say, ‘We started to share our family memories.’ But a private account could serve that purpose. Eventually, money influences the decision, and denying it is self-deception,” Shari stated.

Shari emphasized that it’s up to the adults to consider how online visibility might impact children in the future.

“Why do they want to share? The money, the fun trips, the cool products. Kids can’t grasp the long-term effects,” Shari noted regarding minors who consent to being recorded. “Parents need to recognize that while this might seem fun, children can’t fully understand potential consequences as adults.”

The Frankes became embroiled in scandal in 2023 when Ruby and her life coach friend Jodi Hildebrandt were arrested for multiple counts of aggravated child abuse. This occurred after Ruby’s youngest son, then 12, escaped from Hildebrandt’s home in Utah that August and sought help from a neighbor. Authorities discovered he was malnourished and bound with duct tape, and his 10-year-old sister was in a similar condition.

Ruby and Hildebrandt pleaded guilty and received four consecutive prison sentences for subjecting the children to “physical torture.” They are currently incarcerated.

By that time, Shari and Chad had already left the family home, but Shari attempted to contact Child Protective Services (CPS) and authorities multiple times, concerned for her younger siblings.

Now, two years later, Shari is advocating for people to reconsider following families online as she works towards passing a bill to protect child influencers. This initiative aims to safeguard young content creators.

“I don’t hold anyone except for [Ruby] and Jodi accountable for their actions. I don’t blame the viewers,” Shari remarked about her family’s ordeal. “The accountability lies in the continued support for family content creators, which is something viewers can control—how they choose to consume such content.”

To report child abuse, please visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Child Welfare Information Gateway for state-specific reporting information.