SALT LAKE CITY — On Tuesday, Utah introduced new legislation aimed at protecting children involved in online content creation. This move was spurred by the troubling case of Ruby Franke, a mother who was previously a prominent figure on YouTube before her arrest in 2023 for child abuse. The law was signed by Gov. Spencer Cox, following the advocacy of Ruby Franke’s now ex-husband, Kevin Franke. The new law provides a mechanism for adults to erase digital content featuring them as minors from all platforms and mandates that parents save earnings for children featured in such content. In February, Kevin Franke expressed regret over allowing his ex-wife to profit from their children’s lives online.
Kevin Franke stated, “Children cannot give informed consent to be filmed on social media, period.” He further reflected on their past decision, “Vlogging my family, putting my children into public social media, was wrong, and I regret it every day.” The Frankes launched the “8 Passengers” YouTube channel in 2015, depicting their lives as a Mormon family in Springville, Utah. The state, known for its sizeable family units and religious demographics, is fertile ground for family-centered online content. The state’s environment also garnered attention through the show “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” and the rising group of TikTok moms known as “MomTok,” who share content about family and faith.
Though the digital content industry remains largely unregulated, states like Illinois, California, and Minnesota have started implementing protective measures for young content creators’ earnings. Minnesota, akin to Utah’s recent enactment, allows for the removal of content involving minors.
The Franke children were prominently featured in videos uploaded several times a week to a substantial audience starting in 2010. Ruby Franke later ceased contributions to the channel and collaborated with therapist Jodi Hildebrandt, who urged her to separate from Kevin Franke and relocate with her youngest children to Hildebrandt’s home in southern Utah. The situation escalated when Ruby Franke’s 12-year-old son, Russell, emaciated and with ankles bound in bloody duct tape, escaped and sought help from neighbors. Authorities discovered another child, 9-year-old Eve, isolated in a dark closet at Hildebrandt’s home. Both women received prison sentences of up to 30 years.
Ruby Franke’s journal excerpts reveal her chilling belief that her son was “possessed,” describing sustained abuse and neglect. Investigators documented horrific details, like using cayenne pepper on wounds and tying limbs to weights.
In a recently published memoir, Shari, Ruby Franke’s oldest child, recounts her mother’s toxic obsession with achieving “content gold.” She described the children as employees who needed discipline rather than affection and recalled constant surveillance and occasional physical punishment. Shari labeled herself a “victim of family vlogging,” noting abusive incidents from childhood.
Under the new Utah legislation, content creators earning over $150,000 annually from child-inclusive content must set aside 15% of these earnings in a trust accessible by the children when they turn 18. This measure extends to parents of child actors in traditional media.
As the legislation was evaluated, the Hulu documentary “Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke” reignited discussions surrounding the case. During a recent hearing, Kevin Franke delivered statements from two of his daughters, highlighting their support for the bill. Following Ruby’s arrest, Kevin Franke filed for divorce and sought custody of the children.
The youngest child, Eve Franke, who was discovered in a state of neglect, addressed lawmakers, urging them to guard other children against similar exploitation. “YouTube isn’t inherently harmful; it can even bring people together,” she wrote. “But kids deserve love, not exploitation by those meant to nurture them.”