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AIBU?

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Original poster

*Trigger Warning* AIBU to not understand how this YouTuber isn't being investigated for child abuse?

588 replies

milkmilklemonade12 · 18/04/2017 18:19

So I actually found out about this channel via another large forum I post on. Essentially, a YouTube channel which is called DaddyOFive (it's reasonably large, around three quarters of a million subscribers) centres around a blog made by the father, with 5 children. The upshot of it is, people were angry about how the family, lead by the father; bully one of their children Cody, and pass it off as just 'good old fashioned parenting!'

At first until I checked out the videos I honestly thought it couldn't be that bad. I was horribly wrong. Some of the videos are entitled:
Dad burns Cody's Pokemon cards
Dad destroys son's DS
Dad forces son to throw away his toys
I'm sending Cody to military school

In their most recent video, because Cody had been bad (smeared poop on the walls; a recognised sign of abuse and distress), they took all the other kids to DisneyLand.

These videos are horrific, and despite them being located in the US, I really feel like CPS should be investigating and YouTube should shut the channel down for child abuse.

If you can bear to watch the videos, the guy's name is DaddyOFive, and I'd urge you to take a few minutes and report their videos for child abuse. I really don't understand how in this day and age, this kind of thing isn't investigated more quickly. The child is sobbing, and regularly in horrendous distress at the bullying at the hands of his parents and siblings, so these videos could trigger people; that's why I haven't directly linked them and why I've placed a warning on the top of my post.

OP posts:
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14
BendydickCuminsnatch · 19/04/2017 15:19

This has probably already been brought up but they've uploaded a video called "Family Destroyed Over False Aquisations"... I haven't watched it because ew but they are there with their Sad Victim Faces in the thumbnail.

BendydickCuminsnatch · 19/04/2017 15:20

*there!!!!

WannaBe · 19/04/2017 15:32

The mirror have also focused on the prank element.

And how many hours of this footage have people on this thread watched in the name of being outraged?

The emphasis needs to move away from this one family and towards questioning the culture of finding these kinds of video's entertaining in any way shape or form. It's not just about child abuse it's about people who exploit their children for money and people who find it entertaining to watch. It's started with TV reality shows and has moved into the realms of YouTube The likes of Katie price have been doing it for years - exploiting her children for money, along with that creepy family with the multiple kids, and the duggers, and various others along the way. And while people still watch them there is a market for them. And as time goes on the situations become more and more extreme.

We need to change the attitude to one where people don't feel the need to get an inside look at someone else's family life, because if there is no audience there will be no situations where people think that it's somehow entertaining to pick on your kids in the name of entertainment because people love to watch it.. And people clearly do love to watch it, since nearly a million of them are choosing to do so.

But while everyone is being outraged over this one family, there will be plenty of others who will be uploading the same kind of content, and who will be coming to the realisation that it's really a good idea because people love to see it.

Mrseft · 19/04/2017 15:34

I've never seen them on Youtube, just looked at their thumbnails, and in every one a child is featured, their facial expressions don't show kids who have had a fun prank played on them, they look devastated, hurt, traumatised. Absolutely unreal. I will not be watching and putting more money in their pocket though. It doesn't matter how quickly you pause, the video starting triggers the pay check for them.

ilovechoc1987 · 19/04/2017 15:45

His new video announces that his videos are all fake.

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 19/04/2017 15:49

That's clearly rubbish.

ilovechoc1987 · 19/04/2017 15:52

I hope it's not rubbish.
Those kids don't look like they're acting though. Especially the one where Cody is told he's being adopted out.

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 19/04/2017 16:04

The setting up of the prank is fake, sure. The ink is invisible, they're not really having him adopted, etc... but the reactions, the emotions, the distress and in a few instances, the bruises and the blood... are real.

BendydickCuminsnatch · 19/04/2017 16:04

If their acting is soooooo realistic, it's pretty fucking stupid to then upload the videos - they have hours of video evidence of abuse now, that's how I hope it would be seen in court! Shooting yourself in the foot there if it's all acting!

Nicknacky · 19/04/2017 16:07

Well, if those videos are fake then Cody in particular should have a very successful acting career.

As if people are going to believe the kids are in on the prank. Horrible idiots.

MagnumAddict · 19/04/2017 16:11

Have a slow clap wannabe Hmm

This thread is exactly about a specific family and comparing to Katie price et al about exploitation is so far removed that it is clear you haven't spent a moment looking into this.

You concentrate on changing society and those of us you are condemning for being rightly outraged by this Chanel will concentrate on doing something practical like reporting the content.

MagnumAddict · 19/04/2017 16:17

Just one more point about people being voyeurs into others life's, it's nothing new is it?

Surely that's why people watch soaps and dare I say it, read mumsnet?

Reality shows on YouTube may not be my cup of tea, neither are soaps to be fair but I wouldn't condemn anyone for watching. I would condemn them for watching abusive material and keeping quiet.

DeleteOrDecay · 19/04/2017 16:18

Comparing this family to Katie Price is quite frankly insulting. I'm not a big fan of hers, but she doesn't abuse her children whilst filming it for the entire world to see.

The only thing fake about those videos are the scenarios they create in order to cause distress to the child(ren) if anyone genuinely believes the videos are fully staged and set up from start to finish and that no children are harmed in the making of them then they are deluded. It's right there in plain site for all to see!

DeleteOrDecay · 19/04/2017 16:19

*sight

Darbs76 · 19/04/2017 16:27

The children's (usually Cody) reactions are not fake. Like pp said the pranks are. No kid can act out that reaction. They are trying to salvage their channel but digging deeper and deeper

FairytalesAreBullshit · 19/04/2017 16:29

I came across these by accident NYD, I actually tweeted to the guy Mike Martin, this is nothing better than child abuse. They call all of their haters salty.

The children have to write lines, it's mostly Cody who has to do this. They call their Dad 'Sir' and so on. The eldest Jake torments Cody something horrific and it's just tolerated. Jake will be dragging Cody around and jumping on them.

I'm not being funny, but I maybe watched the videos 2/3 months. Cody was the main target. The parents even call Emma and Cody 'the Gingers' and make various jokes. In a shopping mall a family of 4 kids and 2 adults hid so that Cody though his family had disappeared.

They have a big fan base, they have the wrist bands, 4 or 5 variations of t-shirts. I spoke to a guy who replaced Do5 smashed up Pop Vinyl figures. Like the guy can't afford to do it himself.

Heather the Mum is seldom seen in videos. But she's sometimes in on these pranks. One prank in particular was based on Martial Law where the children were led to believe that society had fallen.

It all comes off the back of another we'll know YouTube star AGP, who again has a show based on pranks.

Pranks on children, especially how bad the pranks get, is just unreal. Cody has been told he's being sent to a children's home, he's being given away, he reacts in a way that is really uncomfy to watch.

These people don't forget are making money off this. Due to success they've bought their new 'haunted' house.

It pisses me right off that Jake is allowed to get away with physically abusing his brother with no words said about it. Where Cody does the slightest thing wrong, toys, tv, games, the ability to play out side is removed.

WannaBe · 19/04/2017 16:32

No but she exploits them for money. Always has. And the thing is that with people like her viewers want something more extreme when her life becomes mundane. so they look to that couple with the twenty kids or however many there are. And it's very obvious that their setup is less mainstream, with the fact that she fell pregnant when she was thirteen so was clearly groomed by him, and the fact that they lock their children in their bedrooms at night (no abuse there then?)

And every time someone clicks on one of these vile video's you are giving them money. And given even the media have fallen for the "it's a prank," line it's clear that nothing will happen to them, oh, apart from that they'll get a bit more sympathy and a few hundred thousands more views.

FairytalesAreBullshit · 19/04/2017 16:32

I watched it out of curiosity and to see if there was any rhyme or reason behind punishments. One thing for sure Cody is a troubled boy who needs help, he needs help from professionals not the methodology used by Mum/Dad/Jake.

FairytalesAreBullshit · 19/04/2017 16:33

I'm of the belief Mike does not work and is a SAHD from success with YouTube.

Nicknacky · 19/04/2017 16:35

Does anyone have any idea how much a youtuber like this family can make?

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 19/04/2017 16:35

WannaBe, I'm not sure you're really following the situation?

JessKM · 19/04/2017 16:49

I've received an email reply from DCFS...il copy it below. Interestingly it's been passed on to what seems to be an HR position to handle??

Hello, thank you for your email. We are aware of this matter.

The Frederick County Department of Social Services is the agency that would be handling this issue.

Please forward any of your concerns to Katherin Morris, Director of Communications at [email protected] or call 301-600-2401.

Thank you again.

NotStoppedAllDay · 19/04/2017 16:50

Enough money to live on!

I follow a mum youtuber. Her DH has just given up his very well paid career to join her doing YouTube

She said they can afford to. Aspiring sacconejolys with 6pm daily uploads

WannaBe · 19/04/2017 16:58

"WannaBe, I'm not sure you're really following the situation?" let's see now. Some family are uploading daily video's of them picking on one of their children. Around 750000 people seem to enjoy watching these video's and are subscribed to their channel thus giving them an income for tormenting their child - a child who by all accounts has behavioural issues and has already been removed from his biological mother.

A group of keyboard warriors on various sites have seen the video's and have become rightly outraged that this stuff is on YouTube, and have reported to YouTube accordingly while continuing to watch the video's and provide the family with an income, but at the same time they have made their outrage clear both on Internet forums as well as social media, have emailed various tabloids and also the social services department for the area the children apparently live in.

US national news have run a story on this, and meanwhile the family are claiming their lives have been ruined, and have uploaded a video claiming it was all a prank, something which the news outlets have taken seriously judging by the articles.

And meanwhile YouTube have failed to take down any of the video's bar one, the channel is still in existance and the family are receiving support on social media.

And in the latest twist, a poster has received an email back from the child protection department in question essentially saying that this isn't their problem and referring her to some communications director. So shows how seriously they're taking it then?

Yeah, a lot has been achieved here.... not.

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 19/04/2017 17:09

So what are you planning to do about what you see as the problem then??