Shari Franke Supports House Bill 322 to Safeguard Child Vloggers in Utah: No Fear of Mandates

In a significant move to safeguard child vloggers, Utah has introduced H. B.322, largely driven by Shari Franke’s advocacy.

Shari Franke, author of *The House of My Mother: A Daughter’s Quest for Freedom*, has emerged as a staunch opponent of the exploitation within the family vlogging sphere. This shift in her focus follows the high-profile arrest of her mother, Ruby Franke, on charges of aggravated child abuse. Ruby was the face of the widely-followed family channel, 8 Passengers, where she chronicled daily life with her six children. Shari has bravely shared her own experiences of being part of this vlogging environment, emphasizing how she was coerced into on-camera appearances, lacked the ability to provide true consent, and endured violations of her privacy. Her memoir further sheds light on the emotional trauma she and her siblings faced while maintaining a facade of a happy family in front of the camera.

Determined to halt the exploitation of child vloggers, Shari aims to reform the practice rather than eliminate it entirely, recognizing the complexities involved. Her current priority lies in establishing regulations that will afford protections to these children, paving the way for a more sustainable solution. As a result of her dedicated efforts, legislation has been proposed in Utah to better shield the young participants of family vlogs.

Shari Franke Encourages Support for HB322

Recently, Shari Franke played a pivotal role in drafting Utah’s H. B.322, which was introduced by Rep. Doug Owens on January 27. If enacted, this legislation will provide essential protections for the minors featured in family vlogs, such as ensuring they are properly compensated for their participation and have control over their online personas. The bill mandates that a parent or guardian must create a trust for any minor involved in content creation, in addition to formulating a guideline to dictate a percentage of earnings that must be allocated to the child’s trust. Notably, the legislation also empowers minors to request the removal of content featuring them once they reach adulthood.

On Instagram, Franke elaborated on the importance of this right to deletion, stating that it would enable child influencers to have their images removed from social media platforms upon reaching the age of 18.

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The proposed legislation represents a crucial first step towards regulating the often controversial landscape of family vlogging. Asserting that child participants should receive payment akin to child actors emphasizes the need for ethical standards within the industry. Moreover, granting children the right to erase their digital legacy when they reach an appropriate age addresses a significant issue within child vlogging—true consent is complex for minors, who are nonetheless filmed regardless of their stated agreement. This bill aims to shift some power back to these children, countering the existing dynamic that typically favors parents.

Despite the bill’s potential benefits, Shari revealed that there are active efforts by various vloggers and lobbyists in Utah to block its passage. In light of the public’s heightened awareness following Ruby Franke’s arrest, many family vloggers now describe themselves as “ethical” and assert that they already compensate their children. Shari argues that if these claims hold true, there should be no apprehension about formally recognizing the need to financially protect children engaged in content creation. Moreover, if consent is genuinely voluntary, the right to deletion should raise no concerns. The controversy surrounding this bill is disheartening, as it fundamentally addresses the necessity of compensating child vloggers for their contributions and respecting their autonomy regarding personal content sharing as they grow older.

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