RESOURCES
Here are some links for further understanding:
Monetization of Minors – Academic Researchers
Mary Jean Amon – UCF – Assistant Professor in the School of Modeling, Simulation, and Training at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Research in dynamics of human-computer interaction and issues associated with cybersecurity and online privacy.
Jessica Maddox – University of Alabama – assistant professor in the Department of Journalism and Creative Media. Research Areas: Digital culture, social media, visual culture, pop culture, feminist media studies
Karen North – USC Annenberg – Clinical Professor of Communication. She is the founder and former director of USC Annenberg’s Digital Social Media (MS) program, and a clinical professor in the school of communication focusing on digital and social media, business and product strategy, privacy and safety online, and brand building and reputation management. In 2006, North created the Digital Social Media (MS) program (formerly, Annenberg Program on Online Communities), the world’s first master’s degree program and research center focused on the leadership and management of social media and online communities.
Leah Plunkett, JD – Harvard Law School – Associate Dean of Learning Experience and Innovation – Author of ‘Sharenthood: Why We Should Think before We Talk about Our Kids Online’
Dr. Francis Rees – Essex Law School – Lecturer – The Child Influencer Project – Ireland and UK – Considers the impact of digital child labour on child performers (under 13) on social media platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.
Stacey B. Steinberg, JD – University of Florida Levin College of Law – Director, Center on Children and Families – Author of ‘Growing Up Shared’
Privacy and the Age of the Internet
Learn more about removing unwanted content of yourself from the internet here: Stop NCII
Monetization of Minors – Other Resources
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Link to the Chicago Law Journal summary here.
“The Child Labor in Social Media: Kidfluencers, Ethics of Care, and Exploitation”; Research paper by Daniel R. Clark and Alisa B. Jno-Charles examining child content creator case studies.
Sara Petersen, Author of ‘Momfluenced’ – “Most of all, I’m interested in why we follow momfluencers, what momfluencers are trying to sell us, and why the answers to these questions can reveal the grim reality of mothering in America.”
Monetization of Minors – News Articles
CBC: “Study warns about dangers of ‘kidfluencers.’ Kids and content creators have a different opinion” – September 10, 2025
Kendra Seguin covers the increase in influencer career desirability— and its potential harms.
My Central Jersey: “Former child influencer shares story of exploitation, abuse – and a lesson for parents” – July 13, 2025
Rachel Hale covers some of the early forms of child influencing, as well as their impact on those early child influencers.
The New York Times: “I Tried, and Failed, to Disappear From the Internet” – June 25, 2025
Max Eddy reveals the dangers and difficulties of personal information being permanently online— including how hard it can be to remove that data.
The Conversation: “AI tools collect and store data about you from all your devices – here’s how to be aware of what you’re revealing” – June 12, 2025
This piece evaluates emerging predictive AI technologies, with a special focus on the right to privacy and control over one’s digital footprint.
CSG South: “From Likes to Laws: State Legal Protections for Child Influencers” – May 20, 2025
Katie Lee and Erin Twomey detail the exploding influencer economy, currently valued at $250B and expected to reach $480B by 2027. The article demonstrates just how much money is tied into content creation, and by extension, the need to safeguard the finances of child influencers who help generate this revenue.
The New York Times: “When a Child’s Life Becomes the Family Business” – April 27, 2025
Lisa Miller covers the account “EvanTube” and interviews its child star, Evan Lee. This article is significant in its coverage of a first-hand account from a child influencer, which is relatively rare given the novelty of social media.
The Times: “Norma Foley will ask media regulator to protect child influencers“ – April 20, 2025
The minister for children is seeking to protect child influencers as some parents earn €15,000 per post, raising concerns about exploitation
The Telegraph: “The social media stars who won’t stop posting pictures of their children online?“ – April 19, 2025
This Telegraph article discusses the real-world harms that affect the children of influencers who are featured on family social media accounts.. Features an interview by Dr. Francis Rees, featured in the academic section above.
The Every Mom: “Why ‘Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing’ on Netflix Makes Me Glad I Hide My Kids Online” – April 16, 2025
Partially inspired by the Bad Influence documentary, Morgan Flaherty discusses the conscious choice to be mindful when sharing information about one’s family— especially kids— online.
Simon Fraser University: “Breadwinner babies: Policy options for protecting child influencers in Canada” – April 14, 2025
Rebecca Harrington’s thesis provides insight into the phenomenon of child influencers and suggests the creation of three tools for their protection: a best-practices guide for parents, a business threshold to specifically regulate monetized accounts, and a permit system which would offer legal recognition and tailored safeguards.
Psychology Today: “When Your Childhood Is Monetized: Exploring the psychology behind kidfluencing” – April 14, 2025
Ankita Guchait discusses the psychological impacts that being featured on social media at a young age could bring, including the developmental cost and culture of silence associated with this line of work.
The New York Times: “Their Influencer Parents Used Them as Content. Are They Being Used Again Now?” – April 2, 2025
This New York Times article explores the meta-ethics of covering family influencing scandals. Notably, this piece includes testimony from former family influencers themselves, adding a new dimension to the cause.
The Salt Lake Tribune: “Utah Child Influencers Would See Money Earned from Online Content Placed in Trust Funds under This Bill” – March 11, 2025
Sean Means covers Utah’s new bill (now law) to protect child influencers. This bill mirrors the original Washington State legislation to afford financial compensation to child influencers and afford them a right to privacy. This article includes testimony from Kevin Franke, husband of family influencer Ruby Franke.
Daniel Clark and Alisa Jno-Charles write a scholarly article reflecting on the ethical concerns of child influencers through the lens of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child.
BBC: “Australian Influencer Charged with Poisoning Her Baby” – January 16, 2025
Tiffanie Turnbull writes about how the desire for fame and sympathy can corrupt.
The Boston Globe: “Protecting Child Influencers: States Rethink Labor Laws for Digital Age” – January 10, 2025
Harvard Professor Leah Plunkett delivers a comprehensive summary on the importance of legislative protections for child influencers and the current efforts to secure them.
People: “Why Shari Franke Is Speaking Out Against Family Vlogging After Surviving Mom’s Abuse: ‘No Ethical Way to Do It’ (Exclusive)” – January 4, 2025
Tagen-Dye and Pelisek speak with Shari Franke, a former child star on the “8 Passengers” social media channel.
Devorah Heitner via LinkedIn: “Why 16 is Not the Magic Age for Social Media” – December 18, 2024
Heitner examines the detriments of setting a uniform “magic age” for minors to have access to social media accounts.
Fast Company: “More states are adopting laws to protect children of family vloggers.” – November 17, 2024
An article which delves into social media usage and profitability statistics.
The New York Times: “She was a child Instagram influencer. Her fans were grown men.” – November 10, 2024
A piece examining agency and influence when it comes to intimate imagery on the internet.
USA Today: “A victim of family vlogging’: Watch as Ruby Franke’s daughter testifies on trend’s dangers” – October 18, 2024
Shari Franke’s personal account of Sharenting.
CNN: “What is ‘sharenting’? How parents could be harming their kids on social media” – September 26, 2024
An article which examines several potential dangers of sharenting, including the risk of cyberbullying and a pressure to perform for the channel.
A piece examining the patterns of why we buy what we buy— especially as it relates to influencers and broader patterns of consumption.
The Teen Mag: “Kids, Your Birth Video Reached 6 Million Views” – June 26, 2024 A piece detailing the history of monetized family influencing and the advocacy efforts to protect the children featured on them.
The Wall Street Journal: The Influencer Is a Young Teenage Girl. The Audience Is 92% Adult Men - June 15, 2024
Article by Katherine Blunt examining the disconnect between the demographic of young influencers and their followers.
Daily Mail: ” Oversharing momfluencers ruined their childhoods, now they’re fighting back: ‘I was hit by a car – she put a camera in my face‘” – June 15, 2024
Article by Alexa Cimino discussing the first wave of social media kids fighting back against the loss of privacy.
Ars Technica: “I trained on photos from kids’ entire childhood without their consent” – June 10, 2024
Article by Ashley Belanger showing how kids are “easily traceable” from photos used to train AI models.
NPR: “Why you should think twice before posting that cute photo of your kid online” – May 20, 2024
Article by Andrew Limbong discussing the dangers of posting information online, focusing on new technologies and digital tracking.
U.S. Department of Justice: “Man Arrested for Producing, Distributing, and Possessing AI-Generated Images of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct” – May 20th, 2024
Article from the United State Department of Justice about the potential to misuse online imagery and artificial intelligence.
USC Gould Law School – Law For Business: “The Necessity of Child Influencer Laws Amongst a Monetized Content Society” – April 27th, 2024
Article by Sophie Zarkesh demonstrating the need for legislation that protects child influencers.
Texas Undergraduate Law Journal: “Behind the Screen: Protecting the Rights of Children in Family Vlogging” – April 25th, 2024
Article by Samantha Tonini discussing the state of Labor Laws in light of Family Influencing
Buzzfeed: “13 Celebs Who Were Their Families’ Main Breadwinners As Literal Children” – April 25th, 2024
Article by Kristen Harris about children who were put in a position where they were supporting their family— similar to the children on monetized family influencing accounts.
Medium: “The Hows and Whys of Toddler to Trainwreck”– April 12th, 2024
Article by Meylina Tran discussing the issues that traditional child actors face and offering a thoughtful comparison with issues faced by today’s child influencers.
TechRadar: “Italy considers law against sharenting to protect children’s privacy”– April 5, 2024
Article by Chiara Castro investigating Italy’s moves to prevent ‘sharenting’.
PBS: “The dangers of parents sharing their children’s lives on social media”– February 23, 2024
Video segment from PBS news discussing the changing career aspirations of pre-teens and the implications of establishing a digital presence at a young age.
The New York Times: “A Marketplace of Girl Influencers Managed by Moms and Stalked by Men“– February 22, 2024
Article by Jennifer Valentino-DeVries and Michael H. Keller investigating the dark side of family influencing accounts, especially with regards to image exploitation.
MinnPost: “Legislation aims to protect children featured in ‘mommy run accounts’ – February 19, 2024
Article by Peter Callaghan discussing the Rep Zack Stephenson’s bill on monetization of children in Minnesota.
PBS: “‘Momfluencers’ urged to stop showing kids on social media to protect their privacy” – February 13, 2024
Piece by Stephanie Sy and Sam Weber examining what causes people to start— or stop— sharing online.
Article by Charlotte Yates reflecting on the statistics around parental social media usage.
NBC: “Efforts to protect child influencers will continue to ramp up in 2024” – December 26, 2023
Article by Kalhan Rosenblatt examining the trend of increased state-based legislation to protect child influencers.
The Washington Post: “California senator to propose bill guarding child influencers’ earnings” – December 22, 2023
Article by Taylor Lorenz discussing the new legislative efforts in California to protect child influencers.
Medium: “Understanding YouTube’s New AI-Generated Content Guidelines: What You Need to Know” – November 15, 2023
Article by Medium discussing the new YouTube regulations regarding AI-generated content and privacy.
Kiro 7: “No charges as AI-generated nude pictures of female students circulate around Issaquah school” – November 9, 2023
Article by Bridget Chavez exploring the implications of a “digital footprint” and how it can be used with malicious intent.
Berkman Klein Center: “Who’s in Charge in a Kid-Influencer World?” – November 8, 2023
Article covering privacy and data access as it applies to child influencers.
The New York Times: “If I Embarrass My Baby on TikTok, Will He Stay My Baby Forever?” – September 25, 2023
Article by Amanda Hess digging into the past and present trends of debasing children, particularly on digital forums.
Yahoo: “A YouTuber filmed her crying son for a video 2 years ago and became the subject of widespread scorn. She says she’s grown but the video just won’t die.” – September 15, 2023
YouTuber Jordan Cheyenne defended her “growth” after a clip from 2021 showing her telling her son to pose for a video while he was crying resurfaced online and ignited fresh controversy.
Article by Amanda Hess digging into the past and present trends of debasing children, particularly on digital forums.
The New York Times: “The Technology Facebook and Google Didn’t Dare Release” – September 9, 2023
Article by Kashmir Hill examining the privacy implications of the advancing facial recognition technologies.
NPR: “Who is Ruby Franke? What to know about the mommy vlogger accused of child abuse” – September 1, 2023
Some of this criticism takes aim at the style of the content altogether, saying Franke is one of hundreds of content creators who force children, too young to consent, to trade their privacy for her financial gain.
NBC: “Ruby Franke, Utah family YouTuber, arrested on abuse charges after malnourished child in duct tape is found” – August 31, 2023
Family YouTuber arrested on abuse charges. September 1st The New York Times article linked here for a comprehensive overview of the controversies surrounding the 8 Passengers YouTube channel.
FStoppers: “Parent Influencers: Monetizing Your Children Now Comes at a Cost” – August 20, 2023
A popular family influencing account stops the adoption process after realizing that they will not be able to share content of their adopted child online for a year after the process is completed.
CNN: “These kids get free vacations thanks to their YouTube fame. But what happens behind the scenes?” – August 15, 2023
When does featuring children on a for-profit family channel become problematic?
The Washington Post: “Parenting influencers try something new: Giving their kids privacy” – August 1, 2023
“I literally think about it every single day,” he said. “Why we were doing it for so long and what impact this is going to have on the kids as they get older.”
Australian Quarterly: “Child Influencers: How children have become entangled with social media commerce” – July-September 2023
The parasocial bonds which can form as a result of parental sharing to social media.
The New York Post: “I made my kid social media famous — and it was a huge, scary mistake” – July 19, 2023
A growing number of parents regret posting their children’s image and personal stories online.
NPR: “Permission to share” – July 9, 2023
Featuring kids is good business for influencer parents, but at the cost of their future.
Weekend Edition Sunday Audio of the story here
ABC News: “Social media posts by parents bring concerns for children’s privacy, safety” – July 6, 2023
A new bill would allow kids to request content be taken down at a certain age.
The Washington Post: “‘Medical moms’ share their kids’ illnesses with millions. At what cost?” – May 11, 2023
Fortesa Latifi covers the phenomenon of parents sharing their children’s health struggles online, as well as the potential dangers that this practice holds.
The New York Times: “Millions of People Watched Her Grow Up Online. What Did It Cost Her” – May 11, 2023
Whitney Bjerken has been a YouTuber for as long as she can remember. At 18, she’s taking stock of her viral childhood.
LADbible: “Parents in France Will Be Banned from Sharing Photos of Their Children on Social Media” – March 20, 2023
Rachel Lang covers a promising new development in France that could greatly improve the privacy, safety, and dignity of children who were previously shared on social media.
The Daily Beast: “Monetization of Adopted/Foster Children” – March 15, 2023
Melissa Guida-Richards shares the troubling financial aspects of family vlogging accounts, a reminder that not all channels have the same privacy protections or financial incentives to create content.
Wil Wheaton: ‘Children Are Not Property. They Are People.‘ – March 13, 2023
Wil Wheaton details one of the biggest problems with sharenting: the loss of a childhood.
YouTube In-Depth Reporting by SWOOP – March 2023
Information about infamous family vlogging channel 8 Passengers
Teen Vogue: “Influencer Parents and The Kids Who Had Their Childhood Made Into Content” – March 10, 2023
An article concerning the potential long-term impacts of being featured online at a young age.
LA Times Podcast – February 8th, 2023
‘Do social-media child stars “work”?’
Sounds Like A Cult Podcast – January 31, 2023
‘The Cult of Momfluencers’
Motherhood Meets Medicine Podcast – January 25, 2023
‘Sharenting: Child Exploitation and Minor Safety on Social Media with Sarah Adams’
Fortune: “When sponsored content meets ‘sharenting,’ kids are powerless to stop their influencer parents using them as props” – January 01, 2023
Information on the tolls of financial, mental, and emotional health of children raised on for-profit family vlogging accounts
Los Angeles Times: California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act – August 2022
‘California lawmakers pass new social media protections for minors’
Vice: “Why You Need To Be More Careful About Turning Your Family Into Content” – July 13, 2022
Jaishree Kumar highlights the rising potential for identity theft based on heightened online sharing.
Wil Wheaton: “Yes, l Was Forced to Be A Child Star. It Was Never My Dream Or My Idea” – May 25, 2022
Wil Wheaton details the loss of privacy he experienced at the hands of his parents, who he alleges forced him to audition and perform when all he wanted was a normal childhood.
YouTube w/Dr. Ryan MD – January 2021
‘Interview With Lou: The Dark Side Of Growing Up On A “Mommy Blog”‘
The List: “Ace Family Video Has Fans Concerned For Catherine” – October 2020
Paige McBride offers a glimpse into the scandals surrounding the popular social media account “The Ace Family”.
Medium: “Family Youtube Channels are a New Kind of Unregulated Child Abuse” – July 2020
An article covering a myriad of social media scandals, with family YouTube channels at their heart and center.
The African Sun: “Protecting children in the digital society” – 2020
Louis Fourie covers the dangers that children face as consumers of social media, including three major risk types: content (child as content consumer), contact (child is an active participant in adult-initiated activity), and conduct (problematic peer-to-peer interactions).
CBS: “‘It’s kinda crazy’: Kid influencers make big money on social media, and few rules apply” – July 2019
An article by Ines Novacic delving into the lack of regulations in the social media sphere— especially as it pertains to kid influencers.
Fast Company: “My kid is an Instagram Influencer. Here’s what I do with her money.” – May 2019
Pavithra Mohan documents the growing “influencer economy” and potential ways for parents to help their children navigate this complex new industry.
The Guardian: “Parents are exploiting their children on YouTube for fame and easy money” – March 2019
An article by Emma Brockes examining the potential incentives for parents to post their children on monetized social media accounts.
The New York Times: “Online and Earnings Thousands, at Age 4: Meet the Kidfluencers” – March 2019
An article that examines what happens when minors are able to monetize their childhood through social media.
NY Mag: ‘The Abusive “Pranks” of YouTube Family Vloggers – April 2017
What is acceptable content to post online? What is acceptable to monetize? Rachel Dunphy tackles these questions in her article about the questionable ethics surrounding family influencing accounts.
Quit Clicking Kids 