US states are finally starting to put in place protections for the kids of family vloggers

Ruby Franke was once one of the most popular YouTube family vloggers, posting videos featuring her husband and six children on her channel, 8 Passengers, that racked up over 1 billion views.

In some, she chronicled their family vacations and family activities, such as painting together. In others, she detailed how she banned her 16-year-old son from sleeping in his bedroom for seven months and threatened to behead a stuffed animal.

In August 2023, Franke was charged with child abuse and pleaded guilty four months later.

While the crimes that led to the charges, such as denying her kids water and handcuffing them for extended periods of time, didn't appear on 8 Passengers, her children viewed the vlogging as a larger pattern of abuse.

In October 2024, 21-year-old Shari Franke, Ruby's oldest daughter, testified to Utah lawmakers about what being a child influencer against her will had done to her.

"I come today as a victim of family vlogging," Shari said, "to shed light on the ethical and monetary issues that come from being a child influencer." She added, "If I could go back and do it all again, I'd rather have an empty bank account now and not have my childhood plastered all over the internet. No amount of money I received has made what I've experienced worth it."

Her testimony took place just a few weeks after California passed a law mandating that a portion of proceeds from social media content featuring kids must be set aside in a trust for the child when they turn 18.

I'm a social media researcher who's spent the past two years advocating for the children of family vloggers. As recently as 18 months ago, I'd written about how there were no legal protections for the children of influencers, even as child actors have robust laws in place to protect their earnings.

Now that's starting to change – but there's still more work to be done.

New laws for a new age Some children featured in their parents' social media content go viral as toddlers ; others have their first menstrual cycles broadcast to the world; and they can be pressured by their parents to be the talent that sustains their family's financial livelihood.

California has the Coogan Act , which protects the financial interests of entertainers under 18. But this was passed in 1939, long before the rise of social media; until recently, there has been no comparable Coogan Act for the children of family vloggers.

In August 2023, however, Illinois became the first U.S. state to pass a law protecting the financial interests of the children of family vlogging. The bill requires parents to put aside 50% of the earnings for a piece of content featuring their child. The money must go into a trust that the child can access upon turning 18. If there's no money available for them, they can sue their parents.

Minnesota was the next state to pass this kind of legislation, in May 2024 . This one went beyond financial considerations, prohibiting children under 14 from appearing in more than 30% of their parents' social media content. If children do appear in these videos and the videos are monetized, money must be put into an account, similar to Illinois.

In December 2023, I consulted with legislators on drafts of California's measure . This bill, which was signed into law in September 2024, is similar to Illinois' law but has been considered an important step in regulating family vlogging content given the state's relationship with the entertainment industry.

Work is work These laws are not geared toward the casual parent who wants to share a picture of their child on Facebook or Instagram. They're putting guardrails in place for a form of child labor that, until recently, has gone wildly unchecked.

In the spring of 2024, I provided written testimony to the state of Missouri, which was considering its own law. I pointed out that there are more than 500 hours of video uploaded to YouTube every minute, TikTok boasts more than 150 million active monthly users in the U.S. alone, and Instagram users watch 17.6 million hours of Reels per day. I explained how, over the past decade, I've interviewed over 150 content creators and influencers – and I'll often hear them say they've been paid upward of $8,000 per post.

Brand sponsorships remain a gray area in these laws; most of the new legislation encompasses only payments directly from platforms. But I want to emphasize that we're not talking about a few extra bucks here and there. It can be enough money to raise a family. And it's work – for everyone involved.

What's next Illinois, Minnesota and California may have passed laws, but the issue remains on the table elsewhere.

Washington state has tried to introduce such a bill, and Shari Franke's testimony came as Utah begins considering its own legislation .

However, I believe that any work on combating the problem of exploiting children for social media demands a holistic approach.

Importantly, children cannot consent to appearing in their parents' content. While it may seem fun to appear in mom or dad's video, young children have no concept of the internet's dangers. They don't understand that content can move beyond its intended audience. They don't understand that the internet is forever – that one day, when they're applying to college or for jobs, Google search results may yield their baby photos.

In 2023, Maryland attempted to introduce legislation that would include Right To Be Forgotten provisions – an addendum allowing children to request social media platforms delete content about them when they turn 18. The measure never gained momentum, and the bill stalled. But states can look to the European Union, which has some of the strongest Right to Be Forgotten legislation in the world , for inspiration.

Social media platforms also have a role to play. If they wanted to, they could regulate or ban monetized content centered on children. That being said, family vlogging content is a moneymaker for platforms: It racks up billions of views, which keeps audiences on the hosting site, such as YouTube or Instagram, for longer. So you might assume that platforms would never intervene on their own if it risked hurting their bottom line.

But one thing I've learned from studying social media platform governance is that public opinion matters. And in my ongoing research on family vlogging, I've witnessed a massive shift in public opinion over the past two years, as the press pays more attention to the phenomenon, content creators and audiences are more critical of it, and former children of family vloggers, like Shari Franke, tell their stories.

If platforms can quickly churn out their own versions of AI chatbots, they can build teams to figure out how to help regulate and enforce family vlogging legislation in the U.S. – and have the opportunity, in my view, to be on the right side of history.

This is republished from , a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Jessica Maddox , University of Alabama

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As mentioned in the , I have provided testimony and consultation on several drafts of family vlogging laws around the country and continue to do so at the time of writing.

On October 26, gossip blogger Tasha Lustig spilled some major tea on Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster on her Instagram account. "Do y'all remember when I told you this man was up to no good," asked the content creator as she pointed to a photo of the Music Man costars looking lovey-dovey on a red carpet. Lustig went on to say that Jackman had "blindsided" his ex-wife, Deborra-lee Furness, by "running off with the mistress" and that the Broadway stars were planning to "soft launch" their relationship publicly. The juicy post quickly gained a ton of viewers — including Furness, who "liked" it from her private account (only visible to people she follows on the platform), along with over 25,000 others, and Furness' close friend, British media personality Amanda de Cadenet, who wrote: "You are on point with this one. My beloved friend Deb is about to have her glow up any moment fyi!" The social media activity seemed to confirm rumors of a secret romance between Jackman, 56, and Foster, 49, who starred together in the 2022 Broadway revival. (Jackman and ex Furness announced their split in September 2023; Foster filed for divorce from screenwriter Ted Griffin on October 25.) Sources confirm in the latest issue of Us Weekly that Jackman and Foster are currently together — and that their friendship turned romantic during the show's 11-month run, while they were married to other people. "Sutton and Hugh's relationship is the reason Hugh and Deb got divorced," says a Foster source. "A lot of people on Broadway knew, and we kept it quiet because both of them are so nice and great people. Everyone respected their privacy. But there was an affair and overlap." According to the source, Jackman and Foster are still going strong: "They are really happy now." Instant Connection Jackman and Foster have run in the same Broadway circles for years. During a late-night appearance, Jackman revealed he'd "watched everything she's done" and joked that he'd seen Foster star in Thoroughly Modern Millie when she was "like, 4 years old." (Foster won a Tony for her performance in 2002, when she was 27). Raved Jackman: "[She's] amazing." They hit it off immediately after being cast in The Music Man. In 2022, Foster told Vogue Jackman had become one of her closest friends — and noted that they even had family get-togethers. (Jackman and Furness, 68, adopted son Oscar, 24, in 2000 and daughter Ava, 19, in 2005; Foster and Griffin are parents to Emily, 7, who they adopted in 2017.) "You usually go into these things thinking, 'Well, I hope we get along,' " she explained, "but we just spent Memorial Day with our families." Foster also revealed that she and Jackman had adopted an intimate ritual in which they'd sit on the floor of her dressing room and chat before each show. "It's such a wonderful thing," Foster said during an appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan. "We just talk and catch up on our day. That's been one of the best parts of the whole thing," she added, "that I've made this wonderful new friend." Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness' Relationship Timeline: The Way They Were During rehearsals, they often posted cute photos and videos to Instagram, gushing over each other. "This show is nothing without you," Jackman wrote alongside a clip of them practicing a dance. On opening night, Foster shared pics of her and Jackman on the red carpet with the caption: "This man. An honor to be by your side. You. Are. The. BEST." Furness suspected nothing — even after watching her then-husband and Foster kiss passionately on stage night after night. "Deborra-lee was blindsided when she found out about the affair through the run of the show," says an industry source. "It was apparently Broadway's worst-kept secret, and Deborra-lee was the last to know." Us has learned that Jackman never came clean about the affair. "He didn't own up to it," adds the industry source. Furness wanted to save the marriage, but Jackman's relationship with Foster continued. Painful Betrayal (L-R) Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness For decades, Jackman and Furness seemed like one of Hollywood's most solid couples. The Wolverine star fell for Furness when they starred in the Australian series Correlli together. (Like Foster, Furness was his leading lady.) Just five months after meeting, Jackman popped the question. "I knew two weeks into meeting Deb that we were going to be together for the rest of our lives," he once confessed. During a 2016 talk show appearance, Jackman said his marriage "gets better and better" with time, adding, "She's the greatest thing that ever happened to me." The actor noted he was grateful he'd met her before he skyrocketed to fame in the early 2000s. "Everything that's happened in my career and on screen, off screen, we've always done it together." In April 2023, Jackman celebrated his 27th wedding anniversary with a gushing post aimed at Furness. "Together we have created a beautiful family. And life," he wrote. "Your laughter, your spirit, generosity, humor, cheekiness, courage and loyalty is an incredible gift to me. I love you with all my heart." Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness Announce Separation After 27 Years of Marriage While one source notes that the affair between Jackman and Foster had already begun at this point, another source says they first heard of a romance between the pair last November, two months after the actor announced his marriage was over. "We have been blessed to share almost 3 decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage," Jackman and Furness said in a statement at the time. "Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth." A friend of the couple tells Us Furness was heartbroken. "[For a] woman who's been in a marriage for [27] years who then discovers her partner was unfaithful and isn't trustworthy, it's a pretty devastating life experience," says the friend, noting that Furness has been exceedingly gracious behind the scenes in order to protect her family. "I think many people were shocked [Hugh] could do this to her, especially as she's the mother of his children, and they've navigated three decades of life together," says the friend. "A little respect may have been in order." A source familiar with Furness says she's a survivor: "[Deborra-lee] is a strong, resilient, creative woman." What's Next As for Jackman and Foster, things are moving forward. "They don't live together because of their kids," says a source from the theater world. "But Sutton has told people on Broadway about the relationship. Everyone [there] has known about this for a long time." A resident in Sutton's NYC building has told other neighbors they've seen Jackman, who also lives in the city, coming in and out. The Foster source says Jackman knows his reputation is on the line. "Hugh's whole image is that he's the nicest guy in Hollywood," explains the source. "So he doesn't know what to do with this." For more on Hugh and Sutton, watch the exclusive video above and pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly — on newsstands now.