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Home / Lifestyle

YouTubers Nikki and Dan Phillippi cancelled adoption over no social media rule

By Hannah Paine
news.com.au·
17 May, 2021 07:37 PM4 mins to read

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The couple cancelled plans to adopt from South Korea for the same reason. Photo / You Tube

The couple cancelled plans to adopt from South Korea for the same reason. Photo / You Tube

An influencer couple are in hot water once again after a video resurfaced revealing they halted adoption plans because of a no social media rule.

Nikki and Dan Phillippi were slammed earlier this month for revealing they had put down their family dog for having an "aggressive" side.

Now video of the US couple revealing in May 2018 that they cancelled adoption plans after the agency said they couldn't post the child online for a year has resurfaced on Reddit and Twitter.

Nikki cited Thailand's "unique laws" as the reason for their backflip.

"After you pick up your child, they are your child, but you are not allowed to talk about them or share any images, photos, videos, anything about them online for a year," she said.

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The couple said they decided to "pray about it" and "see how we feel in the morning" about proceeding with the adoption after learning about the rule.

"When that hit we literally were like 'Oh what?'" Nikki said.

"So we were like going round the houses like trying to figure out how this could work like 'Hashtag baby blur face'."

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After mulling on the issue the couple decided not to proceed with the adoption.

"It's not just a rule that Thailand has like, 'Oh you can't share anything or talk about your kid for a year," Dan said.

"It's that the adoption is not finalised until a year later."

Nikki was concerned that the couple would "totally mess up" the process and "ruin it for other families".

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"I almost Snapchatted while I was signing an NDA once," she said.

The couple cancelled plans to adopt from South Korea for the same reason. Photo / You Tube
The couple cancelled plans to adopt from South Korea for the same reason. Photo / You Tube

In September 2018 the couple made plans to adopt from South Korea instead, however later halted the process after finding out their social media presence meant they were unlikely to be approved there, the Sun reports.

"Our adoption agency strongly feels that a Korean judge will not approve an adoption for us because of how public we are in our advocacy for adoption," Nikki said in the video.

The couple later reflected on their failed Thai adoption in a 2019 video and admitted they had been "feeling a little paranoid" at the time, Indy100 reports.

Dan and Nikki said they "didn't like the idea of knowing that a foreign government could potentially take back our child up to a year later based off whatever they saw on social media".

The couple have since welcomed a son, Logan. Photo / Instagram
The couple have since welcomed a son, Logan. Photo / Instagram

The couple eventually had their own child, Logan, now 1.

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When video resurfaced last week, Dan and Nikki faced heavy criticism, with some even accusing the couple of appearing "nonchalant" about the "revolting" decision.

"Like they decided not to buy a new couch because the fabric is distracting on camera," one person tweeted.

"They are the worst kinds of people. Literally so sick of influencers like this. All they care about is content," another tweet read.

Nikki confirmed Bowser had been put down with a series of new photos with the dog. Photo / Instagram
Nikki confirmed Bowser had been put down with a series of new photos with the dog. Photo / Instagram

Influencers slammed for putting down dog

Earlier this month, the couple revealed in an Instagram post that the family had euthanised their dog Bowser.

"Bowser had an aggressive side that reared its ugly head a few times over the years," she said. "After a lot of counsel, we decided it was time for Bowser to pass peacefully on."

Nikki explained in the post, which contained a series of photos from a photo shoot with Bowser, that making the decision was "one of the saddest days of my life".

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In a YouTube video titled "We have some really sad news", Nikki and her husband Dan explained that Bowser had "seriously injured a couple different dogs".

You Tuber Nikki cried as she remembered Bowser's smell. Photo / You Tube
You Tuber Nikki cried as she remembered Bowser's smell. Photo / You Tube

Nikki, who became tearful as she spoke about missing Bowser's smell, said they had spoken to a local dog shelter about having him rehomed, only to be told it wasn't an option for the dog. Recently, Bowser had bit their son Logan on the face after he attempted to take food from the dog.

The bite "wasn't bad" but Logan still had a "little mark" on his face from the incident.

The couple's decision to euthanise Bowser was slammed, with Nikki forced to disable comments on the YouTube video and make her Instagram private.

People on Twitter labelled the decision "disgusting", pointing out that Nikki could have used her online audience to find a new home for Bowser.

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