G08: Social Media & Identity: Kid Influencers

So-called kidfluencing is a growing industry, with as many as one-fourth of Gen Z members saying they aspire to become influencers. There’s a lot of fame to be had and money to be made. But in the absence of any formal legal protections for child influencers, families can become unregulated businesses. And in that gray area, the line between life and content gets blurred.

Social-media influencing is both an alternative to traditional American capitalism and an embodiment of it.

Search Claire’s name online and this is some of what you will find: photos of her as a child, merchandise with her face on it available for sale, and a YouTube channel with millions of subscribers and hundreds of videos featuring Claire and members of her family. In the videos, Claire grows from a toddler to a teenager.

In May, the UK House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee published the report Influencer culture: Lights, camera, inaction?. It highlights that ‘child influencers are some of the most successful influencers’, and ‘influencer agencies see family influencers as some of the most in-demand social media stars […] because they appeal to both children and parents’.

In the past decade, the social media influencer industry has grown into a viable career path for many. Family influencer and parent-facilitated child influencer content has gained popularity and many parents are making significant money by sharing content featuring their children. This type of content and the revenue it creates give rise to serious legal concerns regarding children’s rights.