“The camera never turns off and there is no break from filming”
With these words, Shari Franke described to the Utah Congress what it means to grow up as a “baby influencer”, under the constant eye of cameras, without privacy and without the possibility of choice. His testimony raised the debate on the risks of sharenting, highlighting the ethical and psychological implications of a practice that exposes children to the spotlight from childhood and transforms their lives into content.
The sharing of content involving minors on social media for economic purposes is increasingly controversial, and the story of Shari Franke, daughter of the well-known influencer Ruby Franke, is one of the most dramatic cases. Speaking at the Utah Congress, Shari denounced the dangers of family vlogging, describing how living under the spotlight of a camera that was always on had devastating effects on her life.
I don’t come today as the daughter of a criminal, but as a victim of family vlogging, she said.
Shari explained that family vlogging has become a full-time job, with employees, corporate credit cards and marketing strategies, but with one major difference compared to a normal business: “All employees are children.” He described his childhood as an existence without privacy, in which every moment – from the happiest to the vulnerable – was recorded and published. “Some of our most popular videos were shot when I was sick or at a particularly embarrassing moment. The world saw me, a teenager, just wanting to cry in private,” Shari said.
The price of this continued exposure has been high: isolation from friends, intrusiveness into one’s personal life, and a constant feeling of being under observation, turning childhood into a spectacle for monetization.
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Growing up in front of the cameras: no respite, no privacy
“Business was good when I was happy or shared my struggles with the world,”
said Shari, highlighting how every intimate and vulnerable moment was recorded for views and revenue. From childhood to adolescence, her life was relentlessly documented and monetized, taking away her right to have personal experiences away from the spotlight.
This reality is also reflected in the reaction of her peers, who often preferred to avoid any interaction with her so as not to be filmed.
Some of our most popular videos were shot when I was sick or at a particularly embarrassing moment. The world saw me, a teenager, just wanting to cry in private,
Shari said. An isolation that profoundly marked his adolescence.
A business where the “employees” are children
According to Shari, being a baby influencer isn’t just about sharing family moments, family vlogging is a real thing
full-time job, with employees, company credit cards, managers and marketing strategies. The difference between family vlogging and a normal business is that all the employees are children, he explained.
For many parents, as in the case of his family, this type of exposure becomes a primary source of income, but the children do not receive commensurate remuneration, nor are they able to choose whether to accept this exposure. Often, a particularly personal or emotional episode is compensated with small “rewards” such as a shopping session or a paid holiday, but this does not justify the emotional impact that continuous exposure generates in minors.
What is the price of childhood?
If I could go back, I would rather have an empty bank account than have my childhood exposed on the internet,
Shari said. His experience raises a fundamental question: what is the right price for giving up childhood?
In Utah and other parts of the world, there are still no adequate laws that provide child influencers with financial protection or recognition for their contributions. The lack of specific regulations means that these children’s childhoods are exploited without guarantees, with the risk of a future marked by emotional trauma and lack of financial independence.
The dangers of the web: consent and online predators
His testimony also touched on sensitive topics such as pedophilia and online harassment.
Parents are aware of these predators and choose to post their children anyway, Shari said, pointing to a reality in which child protection is sacrificed in the name of popularity and profits.
As children we don’t understand the consequences of filming our lives and publishing them for the world to see, he added.
The young woman recounted how, as she grew up, her profile was invaded by inappropriate comments, including insinuations and painful insults that will follow her forever.
The consequences of sharenting
Shari concludes her speech with an appeal, asking legislators to intervene to protect the rights of minors and for society to reflect on the consequences of every “like” left on a post showing children in private situations.
There is never, ever a good reason to post your kids online for money or fame. There is no such thing as a moral or ethical family vlogger,
he reiterated forcefully. Every action, even the most apparently innocent, contributes to fueling a system in which childhood is sacrificed to obtain an economic return.
Protecting children, according to Shari, should be an absolute priority and a bipartisan issue, which affects each of us. A protection system for minors exposed on social media is essential to prevent future generations from paying the price for a childhood lived in front of a video camera.
Who is Shari?
Shari Franke, eldest daughter of the famous influencer Ruby Franke, tells the dramatic truth hidden behind the vlog 8 Passengersfollowed by millions of people, and the abuse suffered under the façade of a perfect family. Ruby, pushed by coach Jodi Hildebrandt, imposed a harsh and cruel disciplinary system that went far beyond the imagination. After her mother’s arrest in 2023, Shari decided to reveal the abuse and destructive influence of Hildebrandt’s “ConneXions” program, exposing the risks of influencer culture and sharing her path to freedom and healing.
