Between Profit and Protection: A Comparative Study of the Legal Status of Kidsfluencers
Jovana Rajić Ćalić
Institute of Comparative Law in Belgrade , Serbiahttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4658-3451
Abstract
We live in a digital era in which young people navigate technology and social media with ease. One growing trend is the rise of kidsfluencers – children aged between 6 and 16 who create content on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Their posts often focus on video games, fashion, or lifestyle, and once they have gained a sufficient following, they begin to advertise products and secure sponsorships, which can generate significant profit. This phenomenon raises several concerns. The first is child labor: producing content may consume time that should be devoted to school and leisure. The second is the question of earnings – how much kidsfluencers make and who controls that income. Finally, privacy is a major challenge, particularly in the context of sharenting, whereby parents share photos or videos of their children online. This paper focuses primarily on the relationship between kidsfluencing and child labor, while also examining other aspects of the phenomenon of kidsfluencers. The author argues that children in the influencer world are not adequately protected, that their earnings may be mismanaged, and that existing privacy safeguards, such as the “right to be forgotten,” are insufficient.
Keywords:
child labor, social media, influencers, YouTube, privacyReferences
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