The Nightmare Behind the Camera

It's every child dream to be famous when they grow up. 

However, some children become famous before they even have the chance to grow up. 

Or consent to that type of lifestyle. 

In the 1920's, with the silent film era in the early 1900s, child actors started to make a name for themselves and have popularity. Jackie Coogan was the first major child star, rising to fame in the roaring twenties. He

Jackie Coogan

first starred in the film Skinner's Baby (1917) when he was just 18 months old. Coogan got his claim to international fame in 1921 with the movie The Kid which then lead to other major roles in movies. 

Coogan got the first taste of the troubles that come from childhood stardom when he had to sue his mother and step-father, who were acting as his business managers, in 1938 when he learned that his family spent basically the entirety of his earnings, which was worth millions. 

This lawsuit has a larger result that would continue to impact future child stars- Coogan law. 

Coogan law, formally known as California Children's Actor Bill, was created because of the money that was stolen from Jackie Coogan by his parents, which was technically legal during the time.                                    

This bill provided provides protection to child actors' earnings from family members or managers. It has been revised since it's first draft but it's goal is to save the child's earnings for themselves in the future. Specially, it calls for 15% of earnings to be set aside in a trust, typically called a Coogan account. This law also sets boundaries with work hours, schooling, and time-off. 

Although this law calls for the financial protection of child stars, physical and emotion protection is lacking in Hollywood. 

Everything is not as it seems: 

A documentary was released in 2024, titled Quiet on Set, which exposed cruel practices that took place on sets in Hollywood during the late 90's and 2000's. It's an exposé on many powerful men in Hollywood but focuses on one in particular- Dan Schneider. 

Schneider produced many famous TV shows, but the most popular were Zoey 101, iCarly, and Victorious. 

Dan Schneider (back right) with iCarly cast

These shows started young teens and were produced for older children and teens. However, throughout these shows, there have been disturbing themes and the actors have been put in compromising positions. 

Inadvertently sexual themes can be found throughout these shows - with clips of girls showing their bare feet in a sexual setting, goo being squirted on faces and underage actor in bikinis, all which were unnecessary for the storyline and added an eerie feeling. 

These actors, specifically female actors, were not protected from being exploited and presented in a sexual way. Additionally, the documentary showed that this behavior was exhibited by the producer and mangers off-screen while the actors were on set. 

Cast of TV show, Victorious

Especially the young women who were exposed to manipulative sexual predators at their place of work, and while their family was profiting off their success. 

Its the assumption that this abuse of power stays in the hills of Hollywood. But with the development of rise of social media, allowing independent influencers to gain a following, children are exploited and abused for money on every corner of the internet and in every place in America. 

Social media has created the idea that users should share every aspect of their lives and some people are lucky enough to get paid for it. 

Or have their children get paid for it. 

Only some other states have laws similar to California's Coogan law, meaning that child influencers on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, or Youtube have the possibility of being financially abused by their managers, which most often are their parents. Additionally, the Coogan law doesn't protect children from the emotionally trauma of growing up in front of the camera or having their personal lives be broadcasted for views. 

"Kidfluencers" is a term coined for the practice of parents creating accounts for their children and posting their lives on their behalf. 

Monster Mother: 

One family channel that has been under controversy, and now legal issues, is the Franke Family where they had a channel called 8 Passengers. 

Franke Family outside their Utah home

On this channel, mom, named Ruby Franke, would post vlog-style videos to YouTube showing their daily routines, family outings, and intimate and personal moments to their family dynamic. This included Franke showing the children's, all six of them, vulnerable moments and their harsh punishments. Franke, willingly, shared the fact that when her six-year-old forgot to pack lunch, Franke refused to feed her and left her at school, hungry. Franke also shared vulnerable moment's like her eldest daughter, Shari, getting her first bra or confronting her young children for wetting the bed. 

This is more than embarrassing- its humiliating and a form of emotional abuse. This children do not have the cognitive ability to knowingly consent to their personal life being permanently published on the internet, nor the consequences of being an online spectacle. 

"..Parents bribe and shame them into posting their most vulnerable moments." Shari Franke said in regards to her own experience with family vlogging. "We cannot give consent to our parents to post our lives. In any other context, it is understood that children cannot consent, but for some reason, people think family vlogging is different."

Ruby Franke at her sentencing

All six of Ruby Franke's children suffered from emotional, financial, and physical abuse. Franke was  arrested  in August of 2023 when her 12-year-old son escaped her custody and ran to safety at a neighbors- showing severe injuries and starvation.  

Some may see this as an extreme case and that Ruby Franke is just a deranged woman, but social media has created a culture where parents see their children as extensions of themselves for profit, rather than real people who have a right to their own autonomy and privacy from the world. 

Child stars can provide their family with huge financial success. 

But they pay with their sanity.