In a generation dependent on media, many students have had a vivid love for YouTube. With recent controversy surrounding The 8 Passengers, a popular YouTube family, some have come to realize corruption within the platform.
The 8 Passengers channel is currently facing legal issues. According to npr.org, on August 30, Ruby Franke, the main proprietor of the channel, was arrested after one of her children escaped to a nearby neighbor’s house asking for help. The child was covered in wounds and appeared to be starving. Franke is now on trial for six charges of child abuse, causing many fans to question the integrity of the channel.
“I think most family channels try to promote a good, stable family but from [hearing] about what Ruby did to her children, I feel sad for [her] kids,” said junior Yostena Abiy.
Former fans of the channel have evaluated Franke and the family’s dynamic. While their lives were recorded for almost a decade, viewers believe that the family has been given an excessive amount of publicity.
“[Her] kids were not actively being abused on screen, but I do think they were [given] too much of a platform,” said junior Sophia Johnson.
YouTube’s monetization process discards unwanted content, and determines what is eligible for posting. In secrecy, Franke abused her children, leaving them malnourished and wounded for years.
“I think Ruby Franke [exploited] her kids for profit and attention, and I believe what she was doing was really harmful for her family,” said junior Saron Tesfaye.

Although those who are following the trial believe that Franke should be held accountable, others believe that Youtube’s support of these channels is also to blame.
“I think YouTube is feeding these channels because they know they can get views from what they are posting, but Ruby needs to be criticized because she knows that viewers will feed off of it,” said Abiy.
YouTube has had a substantial impact on young generations by providing useful information and by fostering a comforting environment for its watchers.
“I grew up watching youtube. I think the Holderness family I liked a lot,” said Johnson, as they expressed their love for a different channel.
Throughout the history of YouTube there have been many instances similar to the 8 Passengers situation. For example, Seven Super Girls, Fantastic Adventures, and FamilyOFive, were all channels that were shut down due to child abuse allegations. While some believe that this case is just another dent in the reputation of family channels, others argue that this will bring an end to the enchantment of family vlogs overall.
“I think as a whole people are migrating away from watching family videos, and with this court case, it’s kind of going to stop all together. I think [this] is gonna [lead to] a pretty sudden drop in watching those types of videos,” said Johnson.
This case of child abuse being brought to the surface has caused many students to change their perspective on family channels and YouTube overall. As the trial is still in play, the future of the Franke family is not yet determined.