YouTuber parents wouldn’t stop filming teen daughter’s life, so she got their family channel demonetised

A family YouTube channel who ignored their daughter’s requests to take down videos of her have been hit with some sweet social media justice, after mass reports led to their uploads being demonetised.

The 17-year-old daughter - whose identity remains unknown - shared the story on the popular ‘Am I The A**hole’ Reddit page on Friday, asking fellow users to pass judgement on whether she is TA for “posting online about my family YouTube channel and how I don’t want to be filmed”.

In the post, she wrote: “[The channel] started when I was 13 and now I'm 17. At first I went along with the YouTube channel because it seemed fun and I didn't expect it to get big, but it kinda did, and also other stuff that happened made me see it as a bad idea.

“When I've been getting older, I get creepy comments and harassed online and I feel like I can't relax at home when home is a content farm. I've argued with my family a lot, they agreed to stop making me the ‘subject’ of videos but so many ‘family photos and videos for the family’ end up online so I feel like I still am in videos about as much as my siblings.

“They argue saying that they were just filming my siblings and I was ‘around’ - of course I'm around, I live there?

“Also they won't take down old videos because there's ad revenue.”

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With her mum and dad refusing to honour her request, the teen decided to take matters into her own hands – by making her own Instagram and TikTok accounts to call out the YouTube channel.

She told viewers: “I'm the girl from the … family blogging channel. I'm not comfortable with my life being used for Internet content, and I don't consent to be filmed at home or living my life.

“If you see any videos or photos of me other than this one, please understand I did not consent. I want to live a private life without harassment, and without being content farmed in my own home.

“So if you did ever watch these videos, would you please unsubscribe? And report any content you see of me online? I've been reporting everything I can, both for my own sake, and for the sake of my little brother and sister, who are too young to meaningfully consent to this.”

As well as the 17-year-old featuring in the videos, the teen revealed to Reddit that she has two siblings aged seven and nine who were also filmed for the channel.

Yet it wasn’t long after making the Instagram and TikTok videos calling out her parents that things changed for the family channel, as their content was soon demonetized and prevented from making any advertising revenue on its videos.

“People must have reported the videos,” the teenager suggested, adding that her parents turned off comments on the channel after users began commenting about her video calling them out.

She added: “They're furious at me for affecting their income and I yelled at them that they need to grow up and get a real job that doesn't depend on filming their children for the internet.

“That's creepy as s*** and also child labour is illegal. They need to have jobs that don’t involve me.

“My mom got angry saying that there were other ways to work stuff out that wouldn't get the channel demonetized, and I said I'd tried them but they wouldn't take down the videos themselves.

Revealing that she has been grounded for making the video, she concludes by asking commenters if she was the a**hole “for posting online about not wanting to be a part of the family vlog content farm”.

Their response was unanimous, with one writing her parents “should have listened to you in the first place”.

“You deserve safety and peace in your home and life. Their need to make money off of you without your consent does not outweigh your need for mental health. [Not The A**hole],” they added.

Another responded: “Child exploitation is not okay, and if a child says they do not consent to being in a video, then they should not be in videos.

“Move out when you get a chance/when you turn 18. Your parents are using you and your siblings for monetary gains.

“While being a ‘YouTuber’ can be a career and people can make a LOT of money off it, it should not come at the exploitation of those who do not willingly wish to be in it. At least [in my opinion].”

Under YouTube’s child safety policy, content which features “cyberbullying and harassment involving minors” is not allowed, including recording someone “without their consent”.

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