As the child of a popular mom blogger in the 2010s, Vanessa* worked throughout her childhood and adolescence. She filmed videos, edited social media posts, and participated in brand deals with companies like Disney—plus, she wrote and starred in content for the blog that became her mother's—and subsequently, her family's—livelihood. When she turned 18, it turned out that not a single dollar from these efforts had been put aside for her.
If you're surprised, you shouldn't be. There is only one state in the entire country—Illinois—where child influencers are legally entitled to a percentage of the money they help earn by being featured in monetized content. Although similar legislation has been introduced in several states this year, the fact remains: As of publication time, the vast majority of children who generate profits for their influencer parents—whether through brand deals, sponsorships, or direct payment from platforms—are legally unprotected and could be left with nothing in an industry valued at $21 billion in 2023. In the teeming, controversial world of family content creators, what happened to Vanessa is not uncommon. She spent the majority of her life up through her teenage years working on and being featured in her mother's profitable blog and social media accounts, and she never saw a dime for her labor. |
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