What to Know
There are countless content creator families on TikTok and across other social media platforms. But to see the edited product is very different from seeing how it all works behind the scenes. When someone posted a video of a content creator house with a family making a video, other users couldn’t help but share their concern for the children who grow up in a content creator house without any choice in the matter.
For some content creators, making videos or other kinds of social media posts is what pays the bills. At the end of the day, though, when they involve their entire families, what are the underlying costs in making a living and lifestyle of being an influencer? The Ruby Frankes of the world apparently taught us nothing, because there are still families who are content creators.
Families in creator houses rub some parents the wrong way.
@sipteawithbrittney How would you feeling growing up in a “creator house” like the dancing family? #family #reels #dancing #react #fyp ♬ original sound – ✿ | B R I T T N E Y | ✿
In the video that someone shared on TikTok of a family of creators, you see what a video looks like with the entire family involved before the final video is edited and uploaded. Text on the screen says “POV: you live in a creator house.” And a house full of content creators has a different meaning when it’s an actual family and not a house full of 20-somethings who all make content and work together on TikTok.
In the video, a mom dances in front of a phone on a tripod as her family takes turns popping in at their assigned times and doing whatever moves were pre-arranged for them to perform in front of the camera. And all the while, the mom continues to dance as the center of attention. The user who shared the video admits that she is definitely judging the parents here.
“This is the mom’s world, and everybody else is just living in it,” she says. “And honestly, for me, when I saw this video, it really was sad. And I was not the only one who felt this way. This family is definitely made up of one of those YouTube, let’s put all of our kids, all of our family, in these videos, make them record over and over and over until we get it right, we have 2. 5 million followers.”
She goes on to explain that the mom is clearly the main focus of the video. So if it’s all about her, the kids come in second or third place while filming and making content. At least, it seems that way.
“Somebody said, imagine having the worst day of your life in middle school, then coming home to do this. Who is this audience that even watches this? I’m so sorry, but I agree,” the user who shared the video adds. “And one said, ‘I just know it says a family account, but the videos always only revolve around the mother.'”
She points out how “odd” it is to even involve children in content creation in the first place. The internet is scary and using a platform where you might have millions of subscribers to then show more of her family’s personal life, including children, just feels like too much.
Some question if they learned anything from Ruby Franke.
Ruby Franke was found guilty of four counts of aggravated child abuse and sentenced to four consecutive sentences of one to 15 years in prison. She was accused of starving, beating, tying up two of her children as a form of punishment and control. Before that, Franke and her husband had a YouTube channel called 8 Passengers, in which they made content together for years with their six children.
After the truth came out about Franke, it caused some to look at vlogging families a little differently. But the internet hasn’t gotten rid of these sorts of families completely, and clearly, there are still plenty of moms out there who don’t see any danger in continuing the trend of exploitation for the sake of content creation.
“I just want to know who watches these channels? It’s so weird,” someone commented.
Another added, “Ever since that Ruby Franke documentary came out I’m not watching one single family video that includes children.”
“I get second hand embarrassment seeing this,” a user chimed in. “I am always wondering how these kids feel when they go to school when there is a chance other kids have seen these videos.”
Introvert kids don’t stand a chance with a creator house.
If you come from a content creator family and you also happen to be introverted? Forget about it. Kids who are more introverted have to suck it up and be part of whatever narrative or trend a parent needs in order to keep churning out the content.
“As a very private person, I hate how content creation in families is becoming a very normal thing!!!” Someone commented on the TikTok. “Like I’d be miserable if one of my family members put me on camera at the privacy of my home.”
Another introvert wrote, “As an introvert, it would be a living hell for me if I was a child.”
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