COLUMN – One out of three stories I watch on Instagram involve a child. Whether it is their actual face or something that hints at their presence, my social media bubble alarmingly points out how loose some families are about their child’s digital footprint.
Social media children are growing up in the spotlight, usually with millions of followers watching every move. While these platforms differ from conventional media, they remind me of the tragic lives of Disney children: thrusted into public roles, their lives monetised, and their privacy blurred just in the name of entertainment.
Public private lives
In traditional entertainment, child stars often faced pressures that led to identity struggles, burnout, and strained family relationships. However, social media has added a layer of constant, unfiltered access to these children’s lives. Many kids in vlogging families, or “kidfluencers,” are featured in daily content that follows everything from their school day to their birthday parties. Therefore, their private lives are actually public from an early age. This raises significant ethical questions about consent and the long-term impact of growing up in a digital fishbowl.
Besides, what makes social media families even more complicated is the blurred line between family time and work. For many of these families, their livelihood depends on the content they produce, based on the cuteness factor of their children. When the camera is always rolling, where does childhood end and entertainment begin? The money may flow in, but at what cost to a child’s sense of self?
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Clearly without unambiguous regulations around child labor in social media content, we may be setting up another generation for the same pitfalls child stars once faced. It’s time we question the consequences of turning childhood into a commercial venture, even in the era of vlogs and TikTok.
Demi Lovato joins California Governor Gavin Newsom as he signs new legislation that protects and properly compensates children featured on social media. pic.twitter.com/Up0Tpszr8m
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) September 26, 2024