In 2020, American YouTubers Myka and James Stauffer faced intense public backlash after announcing that they had “rehomed” their adopted son, Huxley, a Chinese boy with special needs. The couple had extensively documented the adoption process and family life on their YouTube channel, “The Stauffer Life”, amassing a large audience. However, after three years, they decided they couldn’t meet Huxley’s needs, which included autism and sensory processing disorder, and placed him with another family.
This decision sparked widespread outrage, resulting in the loss of subscribers and brand partnerships, as well as a sheriff’s investigation following accusations of mistreatment. The controversy highlighted the complexities and ethical challenges of family vlogging and international adoption, as well as the intense scrutiny faced by online influencers.
Following the incident, the Stauffers withdrew from social media. Their YouTube channels and Myka’s Instagram went inactive, although James continues to operate his “Stauffer Garage” channel. Their story was revisited in an HBO documentary series entitled “An Update on Our Family”, which explores the family vlogging industry and the Stauffers’ scandal through archival footage, with no new on-camera interviews with the couple.
The documentary series also looks at the wider implications of monetizing family content and the unique challenges faced by transnational adoptees, featuring interviews with family vloggers, YouTube experts and adoption specialists.
