Autumn Fry (born November 30, 2012)[2] is an American kid influencer known for reviewing and shooting firearms on her YouTube channel, Autumn's Armory. She began making videos in 2020 when she was seven years old, and has been the subject of controversy for her young age and video content.
| Autumn Fry | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born | November 30, 2012 | ||||||
| Occupation | Kid influencer | ||||||
| Website | autumnsarmory | ||||||
| YouTube information | |||||||
| Channel | |||||||
| Years active | 2020–present | ||||||
| Genre | Firearm reviews | ||||||
| Subscribers | 268 thousand[1] | ||||||
| Total views | 23.55 million[1] | ||||||
| |||||||
Last updated: 14 Oct, 2024 | |||||||
YouTube channel
editAutumn Fry began shooting guns when she was two years old, and her first video was uploaded when she was seven years old.[3][4] Her first video featured her reviewing and testing a Glock handgun. Her father, Randy Fry, taught her about guns from a young age and records her videos.[5] She has reviewed and shot weapons such as the Colt AR-15, a SIG P320 RX Full Size, and an XM-42 flamethrower, among others.[6] The channel makes money primarily from sponsored advertisements.[3]
Autumn's father has described Autumn as "an amazing role model for our future",[5] and stated that the general concept of the channel is "showing the world that guns can be a really fun thing, and people of any age can enjoy them".[3] The Fry family previously traveled across the United States in a recreational vehicle, filming themselves shooting at various different gun ranges.[5] In 2022, they purchased a piece of land in Texas.[4] Autumn is homeschooled.[3]
Fry's YouTube channel has been suspended multiple times,[4] causing her to also host videos on Odysee.[7] The channel sells merchandise such as t-shirts and posters.[7]
Controversy
editFry's YouTube channel has caused controversy among viewers, with critics claiming that her use of firearms as a child is inherently dangerous and that the channel is indicative of larger issues in American culture surrounding firearms.[7] The channel has also been criticized as marketing firearms towards children. When asked about channels such as Autumn Fry's, a White House spokesperson said that such marketing was "abhorrent" and "especially alarming as we know that guns are the No. 1 killer of kids".[8] The group Sandy Hook Promise said that companies paying child influencers to promote their guns "clearly know that they are marketing to children", specifically mentioning Autumn's Armory among other child firearm reviewers.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b "About Autumn's Armory". YouTube.
- ^ Fry, Autumn (2024-11-30). "11th birthday present!". Instagram. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ a b c d The Gunslinging 10-Year-Old Blowing Up the Internet | Child's Play. Vice News. 2023-08-17. Retrieved 2024-09-02 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b c Schwartze, John (2022-03-25). "Youth Brigade: Autumn's Armory Interview". Recoil. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ a b c "'MACHINE GUN GRIN': Eight year old becomes poster child for pro-gun America". 7NEWS. 2021-10-21. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
- ^ "'Children are the future of guns in America': Eight-year-old's gun review Youtube channel causes a stir". news.com.au. 23 October 2021.
- ^ a b c Beresford, Jack Beresford (2021-10-06). "Video of Little Girl Dual-Wielding Guns Viewed Over 2 Million Times". Newsweek. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ a b Penzenstadler, Nick. "Just a hobby or reckless marketing gimmick? The world of kid gun influencers". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-09-02.