The Most Loved and Hated Family Influencers on the Internet
Kids today are growing up on camera, not necessarily to be documented solely for family home videos, but to be showcased online to strangers, often not by their own choice. Social media allows people to become influencers in any niche possible. One of the most popular genres of online content is family influencers. Many of these channels start with good intentions to showcase relatable parenting moments with family fun, but over time, private and sensitive childhood moments turn into content for monetization. Let's break down some of the biggest family influencers and why they are loved and hated.
The LaBrant Family
Cole and Savannah LaBrant, along with their five kids, are arguably the most-watched family online. They rose to fame on YouTube and TikTok by portraying a picture-perfect Christian family life. Fans loved their relatability and an early love story that led to their marriage. As their digital footprint and monetization grew, so did the controversies. Critics accuse them of emotional manipulation through clickbait titles, exploiting their kids for views, and pushing religious and political agendas through family content.
Some of the most controversial moments include misleading fans into believing one of their daughters was battling cancer and implying they were victims of California wildfires. When fans learned these situations were exaggerated for clicks, trust in the LaBrants took a serious hit. They've since edited the most criticized videos, but the underlying concern of relatable family content crossing into exploitation remains.
The ACE Family
Austin and Catherine McBroom (now divorced) built their brand around their three kids, portraying a glamorous YouTube family lifestyle. Depending on who you ask, they were either YouTube’s most iconic family or its fakest. Fans loved the luxury life they portrayed with extravagant trips, high-end products, and even a rented mega-mansion. As their fame grew, so did the scandals.
In one incident, the ACE Family claimed they were robbed. They posted footage of police investigating, only for internet users to discover one of the officers was a hired actor with a leaked receipt of the family paying a group of hired fake officers. Scrutiny worsened after they hosted The ACE Fest, a festival hyped as a sold-out event full of exclusive experiences. The festival was described as an overpriced traveling fair with a meet-and-greet attached to it and empty promises. The ACE family continued to make content as a family up until Austin and Catherine divorced in 2024. Now living quieter, more private lives, with each parent occasionally sharing posts with their kids on social media. It’s a better ending for the children, giving them some life outside the spotlight, but the cost of being a kid influencer without consent can be heavy.
(YouTube vlogger Ruby Franke, business partner Jodi Hildebrandt sentenced...)
8 Passengers - Ruby Franke
Ruby Franke was a family influencer for her YouTube channel, 8 Passengers. She was known for relatable motherhood content. Fans appreciated her insights into raising a large Mormon family involving her husband and 6 kids. The channel grew to over 2 million subscribers, making her one of the largest mom influencers. As her popularity grew, so did the concerns for the safety of her children among users who increasingly analyzed red flags from her strict parenting style. The safety of her children was exposed when her son (12 at the time) escaped the home in an emaciated state. This would lead to the arrest of Ruby Franke and the downfall of her channel as the weight of her abuse on her kids came to the public light. Ruby was sentenced to 30 years for aggravated child abuse. Her kids were subject to forced participation in videos and faced consequences if they didn't comply. Ruby's eldest daughter, Shari, has since advocated for laws to be pushed to protect kids from being forced into online content by their parents. Ruby Franke is the nightmare scenario of family influencer culture, kids with no real protection or choice in whether they become part of online content.
Let Kids Enjoy Their Childhood
When the camera turns off, these kids live with the consequences of growing up in front of millions of strangers. From staged skits to real-life abuse, the spectrum of family influencer content reveals a troubling truth. Children can be turned into digital performers without protections, pay, or the ability to consent. These are relatable childhood moments being exploited for money. As millennial parents, many of us grew up with home videos stored in closets, not uploaded for the world to critique. We have the chance to do better. Let’s be the generation that draws the line to protect first and post later because kids aren’t content.
