Utah is implementing new protections for children of online content creators following the child abuse conviction of former YouTube parenting influencer Ruby Franke.
As the Associated Press reports, Governor Spencer Cox signed legislation giving adults the right to remove digital content they appeared in as minors and requiring parents to set aside earnings for children featured in online content.
This image from video provided by the Utah State Courts shows Ruby Franke, during a virtual court appearance, Friday, Sept. 8, 2023 in St. George, Utah. (Utah State Courts via AP, File)
Kevin Franke, Ruby’s ex-husband, advocated for the law, telling lawmakers in February that he regretted allowing his ex-wife to post their children’s lives online for profit. “Children cannot give informed consent to be filmed on social media, period,” he said in a statement. “Vlogging my family, putting my children into public social media, was wrong, and I regret it every day.”
Financial Protections and Content Removal Rights
The law requires online creators earning more than $150,000 annually from content featuring children to place 15% of those earnings in a trust fund accessible when the children turn 18. This requirement extends to parents of child actors in television and film projects.
Additionally, the legislation established a mechanism for adults to remove digital content they appeared in as minors from all platforms.
Industry Context and Similar Measures
Utah, with its large nuclear families and religious lifestyles, serves as a center for the family blogging industry. The Frankes launched their “8 Passengers” YouTube channel in 2015, documenting daily life as a Mormon family to 2.5 million subscribers.
AP notes that several states have implemented safeguards for young creators in recent years. Illinois, California, and Minnesota have enacted laws protecting the earnings of child creators, with Minnesota’s legislation including a provision similar to Utah’s allowing for content removal.
Internal TikTok documents recently unsealed in a Utah lawsuit revealed the company knew about widespread exploitation of minors on its livestreaming feature, with investigations showing hundreds of thousands of underage users bypassed age restrictions and were subsequently groomed for sexual acts. TikTok disputed these claims as misleading and taken out of context.
Case Background
Ruby Franke and therapist Jodi Hildebrandt were arrested after Franke’s 12-year-old son escaped through a window with ankles wrapped in bloody duct tape. Officers subsequently found Franke’s 9-year-old daughter in a dark closet with her hair shaved off. Both women received sentences of up to 30 years in prison.
At a legislative hearing, Kevin Franke read statements from two of his daughters supporting the bill. The youngest daughter, Eve, wrote to lawmakers: “I’m not saying YouTube is a bad thing. Sometimes, it brings us together. But kids deserve to be loved, not used by the ones that are supposed to love them the most.”
David Adler is an entrepreneur and freelance blog post writer who enjoys writing about business, entrepreneurship, travel and the influencer marketing space.
Utah is implementing new protections for children of online content creators following the child abuse conviction of former YouTube parenting influencer Ruby Franke.
As the Associated Press reports, Governor Spencer Cox signed legislation giving adults the right to remove digital content they appeared in as minors and requiring parents to set aside earnings for children featured in online content.
Kevin Franke, Ruby’s ex-husband, advocated for the law, telling lawmakers in February that he regretted allowing his ex-wife to post their children’s lives online for profit. “Children cannot give informed consent to be filmed on social media, period,” he said in a statement. “Vlogging my family, putting my children into public social media, was wrong, and I regret it every day.”
Financial Protections and Content Removal Rights
The law requires online creators earning more than $150,000 annually from content featuring children to place 15% of those earnings in a trust fund accessible when the children turn 18. This requirement extends to parents of child actors in television and film projects.
Additionally, the legislation established a mechanism for adults to remove digital content they appeared in as minors from all platforms.
Industry Context and Similar Measures
Utah, with its large nuclear families and religious lifestyles, serves as a center for the family blogging industry. The Frankes launched their “8 Passengers” YouTube channel in 2015, documenting daily life as a Mormon family to 2.5 million subscribers.
AP notes that several states have implemented safeguards for young creators in recent years. Illinois, California, and Minnesota have enacted laws protecting the earnings of child creators, with Minnesota’s legislation including a provision similar to Utah’s allowing for content removal.
Internal TikTok documents recently unsealed in a Utah lawsuit revealed the company knew about widespread exploitation of minors on its livestreaming feature, with investigations showing hundreds of thousands of underage users bypassed age restrictions and were subsequently groomed for sexual acts. TikTok disputed these claims as misleading and taken out of context.
Case Background
Ruby Franke and therapist Jodi Hildebrandt were arrested after Franke’s 12-year-old son escaped through a window with ankles wrapped in bloody duct tape. Officers subsequently found Franke’s 9-year-old daughter in a dark closet with her hair shaved off. Both women received sentences of up to 30 years in prison.
At a legislative hearing, Kevin Franke read statements from two of his daughters supporting the bill. The youngest daughter, Eve, wrote to lawmakers: “I’m not saying YouTube is a bad thing. Sometimes, it brings us together. But kids deserve to be loved, not used by the ones that are supposed to love them the most.”