Internet celebrity culture, also known as influencer culture, has been rapidly changing over the past decade. “Kidfluencers,” or kid influencers, are children who have large followings on social media platforms (such as YouTube and Instagram), which can come from a social media page for the child themself or the child’s family. Kidfluencers are essentially child entertainers, as they generate income through sponsored content and/or social media platforms’ monetization policies; however, they are not legally considered as such. Furthermore, kidfluencers—alongside legally-recognized child entertainers, such as child actors—are not fully protected by current child labor laws. Even though parents are “to direct the upbringing and education of children under their control” without state interference per Pierce v. Soc’y of Sisters (1925), these kidfluencers remain vulnerable to potential exploitation and abuse without legal protections.

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