- [Philip DeFranco] Hey, today is Thursday
and actually just like yesterday,
out of necessity, we're having to split
today's Philip DeFranco Show into two parts.
Part two of today's Philip DeFranco show will be live
on this channel in two hours.
There, I have to be really vague about it in this video.
I'll be talking a very heavy, important, graphic topic.
It's the kind of story that often
gets suppressed on YouTube,
not popping up on recommended or not as much,
same with the home page.
And so we split it into two pieces so that can live there,
and then this, part one of the Philip DeFranco Show
can one, be a good show on its own,
as well as serve as a reminder for you
to not miss that video, which once again,
it's great that you're subscribed.
Thank you.
Make sure you have that bell clicked
and it looks like this.
Your bell is filled in and has like two little lines.
I know this is a weird dance we've been having to do,
but I don't want to not talk about important things
just because I'm worried that it's gonna hit us.
But with that said, welcome to part one
of the Thursday Philip DeFranco Show.
Buckle up.
Hit that like button and let's just jump into it.
And the first thing we're gonna talk about today
is one of the most requested stories today.
So, this story, it revolves around a YouTube couple
and don't worry, you don't need to know who they are
to understand this story.
Before this, I didn't know who they were.
So, the people at the center of this story
are Myka Stauffer and her husband, James.
And Myka, she runs a YouTube channel
with over 700,000 subscribers where she posts videos
about home organization, her experience as a mother,
she also posts vlogs on a separate family channel
that has over 300,000 subscribers.
Also, I'd give you numbers regarding the vlog channel
but currently there's no content there.
And, you know, for years this couple
has shared intimate details about their lives as parents,
from pregnancies to births and beyond.
Notably for this story today, one of the most emotional
experiences that they've shared has been
their international adoption journey,
with the Stauffers adopting a young boy by the name
of Huxley from China in October of 2017
and actually the video of him being brought home
is the most viewed video on Myka's channel,
with over 5.5 million views.
And you know, with this Huxley ended up being kind
of a big part of the channel.
I mean, just according to Myka's channel,
she's shared 27 videos about her adoption journey,
which is something we'll touch on in a moment
because the reason we're talking about all of this,
the reason Myka and James's faces have been in thumbnails
on news sites all over this week is that they released
an update video and confirmed to the world
that Huxley had actually been taken in
by a new adoptive family.
And in this video, the couple says
that medical professionals and the adoption agency felt
that it was best to find a better fit for Huxley
after several evaluations.
However, following this video, a ton of people are outranged
with this news, accusing the family of exploiting
the child and his story for sponsorships
and monetized videos.
But then, giving up on him because of his special needs,
which regarding that last point, in the video,
James says that Huxley has been in numerous therapies over
the last few years to help with his severe special needs.
Myka has also previously said he has reactive attachment
disorder and level three autism though.
The adoption agency initially told her he had brain damage
and to brain tumor.
And according to James over the last year, specifically
Huxley's therapy sessions have been more intense.
- After a multiple assessments.
After multiple evaluations,
numerous medical professionals have felt that he needed
a different fit and that his medical needs.
He needed more.
- It also appears that impart,
they put out this video because
fans have been asking about Huxley for months.
He hadn't appeared in any of their social media posts
for a while, some even making Instagram accounts dedicated
to finding answers about his whereabouts.
And so as far as why they waited
to announce those news to the world,
James said,
- It's because we've been trying to protect
his privacy, his rights,
and also just try to not mess up his future
that was laid out in front of us.
We're trying our best to make sure we don't impact that
at all in making this video.
- Mike also explaining that she tried to share
as little as she could about Huxley's situation,
because
- Anything that happened in the home that was hard for Hux,
That's not fair for me to put out there publicly.
That's his privacy.
So we're not going to talk about that.
That's not appropriate like that's,
and that'll never be appropriate.
I didn't adopt a little boy to share these things publicly.
- Also saying they waited to talk about this
because medical professionals have been allowing
Huxley to spend time with different people,
to help him find his new quote forever family.
And ultimately they say that Huxley is now in a home
that the adoption agency feels is the best fit for him
with a parent that has medical professional training.
And in this year,
the couple of saying that they're grieving,
they've tried to help him as much as possible
cause they never wanted to be in this position.
- Do I feel like a failure as a mom,
like 500%?
So when you get like insidious hurtful comments,
it just like really makes it hurt worse.
It's not about me at all,
but it's just like this journey has been
the last four months have been like
the hardest thing I could have ever imagined
going to choosing to do.
- With the couple closing out their video,
by asking the followers,
to respect their privacy
and understand that they are hurting,
even if they are seeng on social media and positive spirits.
So like I said, following this video,
there was a lot of backlash,
really brutal stuff out there.
Some of the responses I can't include though, include
I'm sorry, but you did fail as a mom.
You wouldn't have given up your own child.
Another writing autistic children aren't puppies.
They don't have forever families.
They don't get rehomed, they get abandoned.
Which brings us back to the vlog channel
where as of recording this video,
there is no content on it.
And so it appears that they were deleted
or recently turned private following all of this outrange.
And on top of that, there are a turn of people who feel
that a couple exploited Huxley for their channel
pointing to the fact that they monetized adoption videos
and took sponsorships for them.
We've also seen a number of people calling for the family
to take all the videos of Huxley down,
while others are sharing a change.org petition
asking YouTube to remove monetization from those videos.
Others have slammed Myka's because she was viewed
as an adoption advocate who wrote
for parenting blogs and magazines.
And she posted things suggesting she wouldn't treat Huxley
for anything.
Also with this story, there's a screenshot of a pinned
YouTube comment that was allegedly written by Myka
that's circulating the internet.
However, I do want to note that comment is not
currently pinned under her video.
So I can't personally confirm right now if that is real
Maybe of the team has reached out for comment,
but we haven't gotten anything back yet.
The comments as the family would never just give up
a child with special needs.
This is a personal matter to Hux.
It had nothing to do with him,
just having autism.
Going on to say "multiple scary things happen
inside the home towards our other children.
If these events happened with one of my biological kids,
after all the help and after the behaviors we witnessed,
sadly, you would have no other choice than to seek help
and get their needs met."
That comment also claiming that Huxley wanted
this decision 100% indebted.
We saw that in family time with other people,
he constantly chose them and signed
and showed tons of emotion to show us
and let us know he wanted this.
And ultimately that is where we are with this story.
Of course, I passed the question off to you.
What are your thoughts on this?
Because right now, as far as my opinion on this topic,
even though we had so many people asking
for us to cover this,
I didn't know if I wanted to, you know,
because the moment that I see the story,
I hear the story,
I immediately get ranged.
But then I kind of have to take a step back
because I know that my reaction
is based off of my own personal experience.
I don't really talk about my childhood a lot,
but one of the things that stemmed from it
is a lot of the time I felt like I was not wanted,
like I should know I was always getting in the way
I was a problem.
And so I don't want to take those feelings
that I've probably never fully processed
and projected onto these people in this situation
and maybe I'm blinded to nuance in a complicated situation.
So I don't want to go with their throats,
but I know that I feel something.
So I think the best way to end this story
is one, to pass the question off to you,
to help me maybe even process my feelings on this.
What are your thoughts when it comes to this story
in general.
And two, If there is a note that I can end on,
I just end up hoping that Huxley is okay.
I hope it is true that he is happy
and he is better off in this other place
and that the people love him and they want him
and they're equipped to handle any and everything
now that they have him.
Because love is important,
but support is important
in the good and the bad.
And so if there is that kind of hopeful thought,
hopefully there's not like scars
and an emotional trauma
and he is in a much better place.
I think that's where I have to end this one.
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And then let's talk about an entertainment story.
I've been, I've been asked if I could give an opinion on
So there's a big YouTube or by the name of Tana Mongeau
we we've covered her on their show
for a number of times usually controversies, lies,
stuff like that.
But the reason her name popped up in the news this week
is that she has now launched and only fan,
But a very large creator and personality,
all of a sudden going our index rate.
And if you're unfamiliar with only fans,
a lot of what people post over there,
it's like lewd photos, sexy photos,
sometimes nude pornographic,
This is a bunch of different ways of the people
who post that content can make money from it.
Now I have personally not subscribed to tannins only fans,
but I've seen some people who have gone and followed her
and their purchases where it's like,
you want to see something, you have to pay like $44.
People getting messages like,
Hey, join my VIP thing for $200.
Looking at that as far as my opinion on it for her.
Sure. Why not?
I don't care if someone wants to drop any money,
let alone 44 or $200.
Okay.
I think that's insane.
But if you want to, fine.
I mean, for her one,
it doesn't seem to off-brand
this seems like something that she'd be like,
yeah. Why not?
Whatever brand and appeal in general appears to be
because she overshares
and this is just a different version of that.
And also to this opinion comes from someone
that I don't think that it's a big deal
if someone creates an only fans that are like
start sharing their bodies.
I don't that said
all I would say to someone that's thinking
about doing it is, you know,
ask yourself two questions.
One human beings can be pretty shitty.
You know this You live amongst them.
It is unfortunate and wrong,
but you kind of have to ask yourself the question,
am I okay with someone tries to hold this over my head
in the future, they try to make me feel less than,
or what would happen if people I care about they saw it
or their friends saw it.
Is that something you're emotionally fine with,
ready to navigate and deal with?
Also are you fine with the way that it might limit personal
and business goals for you in the future?
And too, If you're younger
and you're asking yourself that question,
understand that, like,
you know what you're thinking when you're 18 to 24,
is it necessarily where your mind is going to be
or who you are going to be
when you're 35.
And one of the things I've seen critics and shamers
say is like, Oh my God,
like, let's say you're older
and you imagine what the kid's going to say.
When, when they find out their mom did blank
in my head, I'm like, I don't know,
thank you for private school.
I just don't think it's that big of a deal.
It could also be where my head's at
because for 14 years I thought of myself and others.
Unfortunately as product, if you told me right now,
over the course of the next few years,
I could make low millions of dollars
because I showed my nipples.
Let's do it.
Wait what's that?
I don't have to work nine to 10 hour days anymore.
Talking about the most depressing stuff in the world.
I can just do what I want.
And then every now and then whip out my boobs.
Yes, please.
I'd love to see the sun
between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM on a weekday
(laughing)
Who cares.
We're dumb piles of sentience meet.
Once again, understand when you're making life choices
that will affect you for the rest of your life.
Understand that my opinion is not everybody's opinion.
Like I even said,
your opinion now may not even be your opinion later.
Like we've literally seen teachers in the past
lose their jobs because it turned out they modeled before
and then someone found it and was like,
Oh, that's too risky.
There's no way Ms. Thompson can teach history
if she had the self confidence to take that photo.
But all of that said,
I guess the main point of this story is I'm very excited
to announce PHILSNIPS.COM
Where right now a premium subscription is 90% off.
Meaning that nine out of the 10 nips that you see
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This is so damn, I can't include this at this show.
I don't know what I'm doing with this.
But right now, I am including this
because I need something light
and stupid amidst the horrible chaos.
But, sticking with PDs values.
I do want to pass a question off to you.
What are your thoughts on this?
And it can be about Tana,
but not even specifically about Tana.
What do you think about,
I mean, there's really been a rise in the number of people,
starting only fans accounts.
What do you think?
Bad move or not a big deal. Good for you.
And then, let's talk about
and expand on Donald Trump and Twitter
and the implications we may now see.
And so we touched on this yesterday,
link down below to that,
but we've seen a number of updates now,
if you missed that video,
they oversimplified version
is you had Trump tweeting about Mail-in Ballulns
And in those tweets, he's really pushing the idea
that Mail-in Ballulns will lead to massive voter fraud,
even though a majority of experts disagree.
He also claims that California governor Gavin Newsome
plans to send a mail in balance to everyone
living in the state quote,
no matter who they are or how they got there.
Notably, that is not true.
Newsome actually plans to send ballots only
to registered voters.
And because these two tweets had misleading information,
or as some people would put it fear mongering and a lie,
they then told Twitter slapping a fact check warning
over both of them.
From flashes out saying it's stifling free speech
and that he would strongly regulate
or even close down social media platform.
And with that, you had a number of people saying,
well, how would he do that?
What would that look like?
Can he do that?
So that happens and then the next thing we see
our report that Trump plans to take action against
social media companies
by way of executive order.
That announcement coming yesterday evening
from the white house, press secretary Kayleigh McEnany.
As of recording this video,
we don't know the details of that executive order yet,
but Trump is expected to sign it by the end of the day.
But according to a draft order that was allegedly obtained
by CNBC it'll target a 1996 statute
that shields big tech companies from liability
from their users content.
And that is because the statute also contains a section
that allows platforms to remove material they find
objectionable.
All without them being treated like a
publisher or the speaker.
And it's pretty much the basis of why you have Trump
and a lot of Republicans repeatedly
accusing social media platforms of having an
anti-conservative bias.
Essentially accusing them of getting rid of,
or invalidating conservative viewpoints.
In fact, last night, a Trump administration official
told Politico
"these platforms act like they are potted plants,
when in reality, they are curators of user experience.
i.e the man behind the curtain for everything we can see
or hear"
that official going on to describe the order as broad
and high level
saying it'll address complaints
that the online platforms are deceiving people
by picking and choosing what content to allow
or block instead of acting
as politically neutral platforms or moderators.
Now, despite all of that,
and in the face of it, we've seen Twitter CEO,
Jack Dorsey, defending the move saying
that Trump's tweets quote may mislead people
into thinking they don't need to register to get a ballot
only registered voters receive ballots.
Dorsey also adding the Twitter will continue to issue fact
check warnings.
And adding fact check there is someone ultimately
accountable for our actions as a company and that's me.
Please leave our employees out of this.
We'll continue to point out incorrect
or disputed information about elections globally.
And we will admit to and own any mistakes we make.
This does not make us an arbiter of truth.
Our intention is to connect the dots of conflicting
statements and show the information in dispute,
so people can judge for themselves.
All transparency from us is critical so folks
can clearly see the why behind our actions.
And notably there Dorsey used that phrase,
arbiter of truth.
And this seemingly to hit back at Facebook CEO,
Mark Zuckerberg, who told CNBC yesterday.
- I don't think that Facebook or internet platforms
in general should be, um,
arbiters of truth.
I think that's a kind of a dangerous line
to get down to in terms of,
um, deciding is what is true and what isn't.
Um, and I, I think political speech is,
is one of the most sensitive parts in a democracy.
Um, and people should be able to see what politicians say.
And, um, there's a ton of scrutiny already.
Political speech is the most scrutinized speech
already by a lot of the media.
- But with all of that said with this story,
there is the very big question about,
how much power does Trump actually have to
regulate social media platforms?
And the answer found while looking into this
is that without congressional action,
it is limited, but it's also not unlikely that we could see
congressional action here.
This 1996 statute has been widely controversial
on both sides of the aisle.
I mean, for example, while he's not in Congress
earlier this year, we saw Joe Biden,
the presumptive democratic nominee
saying that the section which allows companies to remove
objectionable content, it should be revoked.
Actually, we also saw a Republican Senator from Missouri,
Josh Holly say, "why should Twitter continue to get special
treatment from government as a mere distributor
of other people's content
if you were going to editorialize
and comment like a publisher.
Shouldn't you be treated like a publisher?"
With Hawley, also going on to say that he'll introduce
legislation to end these special government
giveaways and that Twitter should be divested
of its special status under federal law.
We have also seen Trump ally representative, Matt Gaetz,
announcing that he plans to propose similar legislation
in the house.
Still with that said legislation like this,
will likely face opposition.
Then he said that partly because you know,
back in October, we saw a Republican representative,
Cathy McMorris Rodgers say,
"I want to be very clear.
I'm not for gutting section 230.
It's essential for consumers and entities in the internet
ecosystem misguided and hasty attempts to amend
or even repeal section 230 for bias or other reasons
could have unintended consequences for free speech
and the ability for small businesses to provide new
and innovative services."
We've all seen Senator from Connecticut,
Richard Blumenthal, essentially blaming Trump
and other Republicans of playing political theater
with these fact check labels saying
"whatever the credible criticisms of current law
Trump's demagogic meet-ax-attack is exactly wrong.
He intimidates free speech and imperils responsible reform.
It's condemnable."
Also, interestingly enough, and understand I am filming this
before we have a finalized definitive version
of what this executive order is.
We're seeing reports that have the finalized version
of this is similar to the draft.
The executive order would quote,
seek the strip liability protection in certain cases
for companies like Twitter, Google, and Facebook
for the content on their sites.
Meaning they could face legal jeopardy.
If they allowed false into flammatory posts
without a liability shield,
they presumably would have to be more aggressive
about policing messages that press the boundaries
like the presidents.
Especially because as that report points out
while the president has talked about censorship,
it's still up there.
It's not deleted.
It is just now also accompanied by that link
to get more information.
And update, as we were preparing to put this video out,
we actually saw Trump sign that order
and all of this, of course still developing,
but it does appear that this order
is in line with the draft that we just talked about.
On top of that, you also had,
Trump's saying that he plans to pursue legislation
in Congress, as well as attorney general William Barr
saying that the justice department is preparing
to Sue social media companies
saying those companies have stretched the statute way beyond
its original intention,
but that is where we are with us right now.
We're going to keep an eye on the situation.
We're gonna have to wait and see what happens here.
But you know, yesterday I asked,
what do you think about Twitter?
Uh, what they're doing?
What should they do?
The question I'll pass today,
is what do you think about Trump's posturing here?
And are you concerned,
uh, happy, confused about what he may be doing here?
Of course, let me know what you're thinking and why.
And that is where I'm going to end today's show
as always thank you for watching,
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If it's been that long,
you can watch part two of today's Philip DeFranco show,
But with that said, of course as always
my name's Phillip DeFranco
you've just been filled in.
I love your faces
and I'll see you next time.
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