In recent years, the rise of Youtube, TikTok and Instagram have led to a wave of influencers gaining fame and fortune. However, this growing trend has also raised concerns about the safety and well-being of family content creator platforms that feature children. California, a hub for the entertainment industry, has enacted the Child Vlogger Bill of Rights to protect these children.
The law was enacted to ensure that all children in the entertainment industry, especially those in social media, are protected from exploitation. The law was enacted on Sept. 26, 2024, however, it has only recently been enforced in the early months of 2025. The law outlines regulations that content creators, parents and businesses must follow for child vlogging. This legislation requires content creators that feature minors in at least 30% deposit 65% of the minor’s gross earnings in a trust account. Once 18, they can access the account. One key point of the bill is that a portion of the revenue earned must be set aside in a trust fund, so the child will receive compensation in adulthood. The law also notes that parents and guardians must act in the best interest of the child by allowing children to have their own input in their content.
The Child Vlogger Bill of Rights stems from growing concerns about exploitation of child influencers . In the 2010’s, YouTube and Instagram allowed children and family channels to become stars, often gaining millions of followers. Through monetization, channels make money and some parents of family channels quit their jobs to pursue social media full time. However, as the fame grew, some children were facing pressure, lack of privacy and exploitation by parents or managers.
One of the most publicized family channels is “8 Passengers” who gained popularity on YouTube from their family challenge videos and vlogs. Recent child abuse charges on the mother, Ruby Franke, have come to light along with entertainment’s dark reality. In a Hulu docu-series “Devil in the Family: the Fall of Ruby Franke,” the Franke children have since spoken out against the pressure they felt to constantly perform and entertain along with the physical and emotional abuse they endured for years. Ruby isolated her children and husband while physically and emotionally torturing the two youngest Franke’s with business partner Jodi Hildebrandt, who also pled guilty to child abuse charges. The eldest son, Chad Franke, shared that the abuse started when the channel became bigger and they gained sponsorships. The Franke children were the spotlight of the channel, however they never saw a dime. This law enables children to become protected financially from their parents and can help the children of greedy guardians not be exploited for financial gain.
The entertainment industry has always been a space that is both glamorous and challenging for children. Child actors have long been a part of movies, TV shows and other media, However, in the digital age,the dynamics have changed. The entertainment industry is now intertwined with social media, where content can go viral overnight. While this offers children unprecedented opportunities for fame, it also exposes them to dangers that were not present in traditional forms of entertainment. For example, unlike a child actor on a movie set, a child vlogger is constantly engaging with their audience, sometimes sharing intimate details of their lives without fully understanding the implications.
By requiring that a portion of the earnings be set aside in a trust, the law ensures that children are not exploited financially. Parents and guardians are also held accountable, with the law emphasizing that they must protect their children’s privacy and consent when it comes to sharing personal information online.
Several influencers have faced backlash for their treatment of young family members and children in their content. Another example is the YouTube family, “The LaBrant Fam,” who have been criticized for filming personal family moments, including their children’s emotional reactions. While many parents argue that they are simply sharing their family’s life with the world, critics point out that children cannot give proper consent, and the content may affect their development and privacy. The California Child Vlogger Bill of Rights aims to address these concerns by giving children a voice in the content they are featured in and providing legal protections against exploitation.
The California Child Vlogger Bill of Rights marks a significant step in recognizing the rights of young influencers in the digital world. As the internet continues to shape the entertainment landscape, it is important to ensure that children are not taken advantage of and that their well-being is prioritized. As this law continues to evolve, it may serve as a model for other states and countries looking to protect their young digital creators.
