SevenAwesomeKids, part of one of YouTube’s biggest and most active tween/teen girl channel networks, has come under fire following an explosive report by Buzzfeed News.
Its owner and co-founder, Ian Rylett, was arrested this August in Florida for ‘lewd and lascivious molestation’ involving a young girl who makes videos for his channels.
According to an arrest warrant obtained by BuzzFeed News, detectives were called to Rylett’s Orange County hotel room on the morning of 16 August, after Rylett allegedly verbally abused the girl, demanding she undress in front of him against her will and ‘practice wrapping her breasts down, to make them appear smaller for the video shoot’.
Buzzfeed News reports that the filed report stated the girl, who is under 16, claims Rylett touched her breasts and fondled her while repeatedly making her undress, eventually attempting to forcefully remove her underwear.
The arrest report also alleges that Rylett ‘threatened to use the contract to fine her if she did not comply with his demand’, the publication said. Rylett pleaded not guilty to the charges last month. He has surrendered his passport and will stand trial later this year.
Rylett’s channel still remains live on YouTube, even though the streaming company learned of his arrest in mid-August. This is the latest in a series of unsettling revelations involving YouTube content aimed at teens and young children.
In 2017, YouTube began cracking down on the child exploitation videos it was hosting after public outcry, with many depicting young kids in disturbing and abusive situations, sometimes at the hands of their parents.
The SevenAwesomeKids brand was created in 2008, and the franchise has a collective 17 million subscribers over seven channels, including SevenPerfectAngels, SevenFabulousTeens, and SevenTwinklingTweens.
The largest channel — SevenSuperGirls — currently has roughly 9 million subscribers. It features daily videos from a rotating stable of more than 20 young girls, ranging from 8 to 18 years old. Rylett pays them a monthly salary in exchange for filming videos, which he directs.
Rylett’s arrest is the latest in a series of unsettling revelations involving YouTube content aimed at teens and young children. In 2017, after public outcry, YouTube began cracking down on the child exploitation videos it was hosting, many depicting young kids in disturbing and abusive situations, all with millions of views.
Via Buzzfeed News.