The eldest daughter of Ruby Franke, a Utah parenting blogger convicted of child abuse, is warning parents about the dangers of posting photos and videos of their children online. Franke and her friend Jodi Hildebrandt, a former licensed therapist, were found guilty of aggravated child abuse affecting two of Franke’s children. Franke, who ran several family-focused vlogs on social media, emphasized that children who become stars in family content online can be exploited as child influencers and face risks associated with being part of a business run by parents.
Utah has become a hotspot for family content due to the large families and culture surrounding the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Shari Franke, Ruby’s daughter, stressed that there is never a good reason for parents to exploit their children online for money or fame. Despite online family vlogging becoming popular and lucrative, Shari believes that the risks outweigh any potential benefits for children involved. She urged parents to reconsider their decision to post their children’s lives on the internet for public consumption.
Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt decided to start a parenting vlog on YouTube, which became a primary source of income for Franke’s household. The pair also hosted conferences across the country to provide parenting advice to struggling families. However, the vlog and related business activities led to allegations of abuse against Franke’s two youngest children. The abuse was brought to light when one of the children escaped and sought help from a neighbor, prompting a police investigation and subsequent arrests.
During her sentencing hearing, Franke tearfully admitted to following a path of dark delusion for the past four years, leading to the abuse of her children. She expressed remorse for her actions and the impact on her family, acknowledging the harm caused by her distorted beliefs. Franke and Hildebrandt were both sentenced to serve multiple terms in prison for their crimes. Shari Franke has since been advocating for legal protections for child influencers and raising awareness about the risks involved in exploiting children for online content.
Shari Franke has addressed the Illinois legislature about the dangers of child influencers and called for stronger regulations to protect children from exploitation on social media. She emphasized the emotional and psychological toll that being a child influencer can have on children, who are often involved in the online content business without understanding the full implications. Shari’s efforts to hold her mother and her accomplice accountable for their actions have shed light on the dark side of family vlogging and the need for safeguards to prevent child abuse and exploitation.
Despite the Lifetime movie titled “Mormon Mom Gone Wrong” based on her mother’s story, Shari Franke has expressed concerns about the negative impact the film may have on her siblings. She has urged viewers not to support the movie and clarified that neither she nor her siblings will receive any proceeds from it. Simon and Schuster will publish Shari’s upcoming book, “The House of My Mother,” which is set to provide further insight into her family’s experiences and the aftermath of the abuse case involving Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt.
