As the offspring of a renowned mother blogger during the 2010s, Vanessa* was actively involved in various tasks from her early years until adolescence. She engaged in video recording, social media post editing, and collaborations with companies like Disney. Additionally, she contributed to creating and starring in content for the blog that evolved into her mother’s—and subsequently, her family’s—primary source of income. However, upon reaching 18, Vanessa discovered that none of the earnings from these endeavors had been set aside for her.
The lack of financial compensation for child influencers like Vanessa is a common issue, with Illinois being the sole state in the entire country where children are legally entitled to a share of the revenue generated from their appearances in monetized content. While similar laws have been proposed in multiple states recently, the reality remains unchanged: the majority of children who contribute to their parents’ influencer earnings are not legally safeguarded and risk receiving nothing in an industry valued at $21 billion in 2023. Vanessa’s experience reflects the challenges faced by many in the bustling and contentious realm of family content creators.
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Reflecting on her upbringing as a young adult in her twenties, Vanessa recalls the immense pressure she faced due to the blog serving as her family’s primary income source. The expectation to maintain a flawless and cheerful facade in front of the camera weighed heavily on her. Any perceived deviation from this ideal image would lead to accusations of neglecting her family’s welfare. Vanessa vividly remembers her mother’s admonishments, questioning whether she wanted the family to suffer financial hardships.
According to Vanessa, being the child of an influencer was akin to a full-time job and more. She recollects nights spent tirelessly recording and re-recording videos until they met her mother’s exacting standards, often encroaching on her homeschooling hours. Expressing her discomfort would be met with reminders of the family’s reliance on her contributions. The realization that her life differed significantly from other children’s dawned on her around the age of 10. Visiting friends’ homes highlighted the absence of constant social media work, photo shoots, and financial worries in their lives.
“Do you want us to starve? Do you want us to not be able to make our payment next month on the mortgage?”
Preferring to remain anonymous to candidly discuss her family dynamics, Vanessa recounts her involvement in creating content for major companies like Huggies and Hasbro when her mother secured endorsement deals. As she entered puberty and began endorsing sanitary products, she found the experience deeply embarrassing. The influencer lifestyle irrevocably altered her relationship with her mother, transforming it from a familial bond to an employer-employee dynamic.
Vanessa acknowledges that she sacrificed her childhood for the family business and the absence of financial compensation adds to her disillusionment. Her mother consistently emphasized that the earnings from the blog and sponsorships were allocated towards the family’s basic needs, implying that should suffice.
In a groundbreaking move, Illinois passed legislation last August entitling children under 16 to a portion of the earnings from vlogging content featuring them. This money is mandated to be placed in a trust accessible at 18, with former child influencers empowered to take legal action if these requirements are disregarded. However, the regulation of influencer earnings remains largely at the discretion of parents in states without such laws, fostering opacity and uncertainty in the “sharenting” industry.
Garrett Gee, a prominent family vlogger, ensures that each of his children has a dedicated bank account with earnings from brand collaborations set aside for their future. Adrea Garza and Veronica Merritt also adopt strategies to secure their children’s financial well-being from content creation opportunities, reflecting a growing awareness of the need to protect influencer kids.
Khanbalinov’s decision to withdraw his children from the online spotlight led to a halt in lucrative brand deals, underscoring the industry’s emphasis on featuring children to promote products. While legislative progress has been slow, recent developments indicate a shift towards protecting influencer children’s rights in several states, with some proposals also addressing privacy concerns surrounding minors featured in monetized content.
Activists like Cam Barrett are instrumental in advocating for influencer kids’ rights, drawing attention to the lasting impact of childhood oversharing. Barrett’s testimony before state legislatures underscores the need for legal safeguards to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of minors’ personal information online.
About the Author
Fortesa Latifi, a seasoned journalist with contributions to prestigious publications, is currently delving into the experiences of child influencers for an upcoming book. Follow her work online under the handle @hifortesa.
*Name altered for privacy.