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Ruby Franke's 11-Year-Old Daughter Speaks Out on ‘Trauma’ from Vlogging Past

Ruby Franke's 11-Year-Old Daughter Speaks Out on Family Vlogging Past: 'Stuck With the Trauma'
Ruby Franke and kids Courtesy of Ruby Franke/Instagram

Ruby Franke’s 11-year-old daughter is speaking out about the negative impact her mother’s vlogging had on her life.

Kevin Franke, Ruby’s ex-husband, appeared at a hearing for the House Business, Labor and Commerce Committee in Utah on Tuesday, February 18, where he read a statement on behalf of his 11-year-old daughter, per The Salt Lake Tribune. (Kevin and Ruby share kids Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell and Eve.)

“I thought nothing was wrong,” the 11-year-old’s statement read. “I felt ‘happy,’ but I really wasn’t. When I started getting older, I realized the YouTube channel had ruined my childhood. But at least I got some money, right? Oh, right, I actually didn’t, because my mom withdrew all of it in 2023. I worked hard for that money. I acted like someone I wasn’t in front of the camera, and I earned that money. But I feel like my mom used me for money.”

Her statement continued, “You all might be saying right now that my dad told me to say these things, and is using me, but that is not true. If anyone is using their kids, it’s the YouTubers filming them for money.”

Ruby Franke, Jodi Hildebrandt's Friendship Timeline Amid Child Abuse Arrest

Kevin was at the committee meeting in support of a state bill that would financially protect child influencers and the earnings they make via their parents’ content. The bill would require online creators earning more than $150,000 annually from content featuring children to set aside a portion of the earnings into a trust the children can access when they turn 18.

Ruby Franke's 11-Year-Old Daughter Speaks Out on Family Vlogging Past: 'Stuck With the Trauma'
Ruby Franke Courtesy of Ruby Franke/Instagram

“I know I am stuck with the trauma of YouTube,” the child’s statement continued. “Even now, I can barely make friends, because my whole life I was the center of attention. But now, without even realizing it, I seek attention from others, or I feel like they don’t like me. Then those people think I’m mean.”

She added that she hoped the bill would keep “the children of Utah more safe,” adding that she knows “more than anything” about “the horrible situation that a lot of kids are in right now.”

Kevin also read a statement from his 16-year-old daughter, who noted that “as kids, you don’t realize what you’re subjected to” when discussing being front and center on her mother’s YouTube channel.

Ruby Franke's Daughter Condemns Lifetime Movie About Family: 'Trash'

Ruby was convicted of child abuse and sentenced to four consecutive prison terms in February 2024, which range from one to 15 years each.

“You’re selling your life, your privacy, your body and stories to the entire world,” the 16-year-old’s statement continued. “And as a child, you’re involuntarily giving up all of that. You’re selling your childhood. Though there is no amount of money that can make up for that loss, the least that can be done now is making sure the child is getting paid for her work and has the right to remove it and walk away if she wants to.”

Zelensky says he's "ready" to resign as president if it brings peace or Ukraine joins NATO

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday he's "ready" to "give up" his leadership in exchange for peace in his nation or Kyiv becoming a member of NATO.

The big picture: Zelensky made the comments on the eve of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine as U.S. and Russian officials hold talks on the war ahead of a possible summit between President Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.


What he's saying: "If to achieve peace you really need me to give up my post — I'm ready," said Zelensky, who was democratically elected in 2019, in response to a question during a briefing Sunday.

  • "I can trade it for NATO membership, if there are such conditions," he added.
  • Zelensky shrugged off Trump's claims that that Ukraine's leader is "a dictator without elections" — in reference to Kyiv postponing going to the polls in 2024.
  • "I wasn't offended, but a dictator would be," Zelensky said. "I am focused on Ukraine's security today, not in 20 years, I am not going to be in power for decades."

Context: Ukraine's Constitution "does not allow national elections during martial law, which was introduced in 2022 and remains in place" due to Russia's war on Ukraine. per the Atlantic Council think-tank.

The Department of Defense is publicly telling staff to ignore the DOGE team's 'what did you do last week' email requests

Elon Musk and his son arrive at the White House.
Elon Musk, who leads the DOGE team, announced that federal employees would be asked to submit a work report by Monday evening. But departments like the Pentagon have asked employees not to reply yet.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

  • The Pentagon is telling employees to "pause any response" to DOGE's request for a work report.
  • Federal employees were told this weekend to list five tasks they achieved last week by Monday night.
  • But the Defense Department has instead said it would be the authority to review its employees.

The Pentagon is the first major federal agency to publicly tell employees to hold off on responding to an instruction from the White House DOGE office to list their work accomplishments.

"For now, please pause any response to the OPM email titled 'What did you do last week,'" the Defense Department wrote in a statement to civilian employees that was posted online on Sunday.

"The Department of Defense is responsible for reviewing the performance of its personnel and it will conduct any review in accordance with its own procedures," said the statement, posted on behalf of Darin S. Selnick, the acting defense undersecretary for personnel and readiness.

It added that the Pentagon would handle responses to the email request.

Selnick was referring to an email sent through the Office of Personnel Management, which asked federal employees to respond by 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday with five tasks or accomplishments that they achieved over the last week.

"Please do not send any classified information, links, or attachments," said the DOGE email, which was sent to employees in federal agencies across the US.

It came just after President Donald Trump publicly wrote on Saturday that he wanted Elon Musk to "get more aggressive" in cutting workers and expenses from the federal bureaucracy.

Musk, who oversees the DOGE team, also announced the email on social media and said that a "failure to respond will be taken as a resignation."

The Defense Department did not respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider outside regular business hours.

Staffers at other security-related government departments — including the Department of Homeland Security, National Security Agency, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence — did not respond to BI's requests for comment.

Representatives for the State Department and the FBI declined to comment on the DOGE emails.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Kristen Bell Flips the Script on Adam Brody and Declares Iconic “Nobody Wants This ”Kiss Is Actually Her 'Signature Move'

"It's the kiss you see, none of these other guys have kissed you like that. It's the hands," Brody joked of their onscreen chemistry. "They're my signature move."

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