Offspring of an influencer - The initial social media users are now taking action against their exploitation online.
The debate over posting children on social media platforms like Instagram often sparks heated discussions. While some argue for safety and shielding kids from the darker sides of the internet, influential figures tend to showcase their personal lives, with their kids sometimes becoming the main subject of such 'content.' CNN examined the repercussions of this practice on children in social media.
US intelligence has spoken with adults who experienced their lives being 'harvested' by their parents online. Cam Barrett is one such individual. She revealed to CNN how her world shared personal information about her at a young age. "I was in fourth grade - 9 years old - on September 9, 2009, and my mother posted something like: 'Oh my God, my little girl is now a woman. She had her first period,'" shared the now 25-year-old.
Consequences for Social Media Kids
Barrett's mother shared everything about her life, from medical diagnoses to even intimate details. As a teenager, she had problems trusting adults due to fears of her experiences being shared with the world. When her mother revealed her medical condition on the internet, she experienced bullying at school. "When I went back to school, my math teacher, who had seen my mother's posts, told the kids to stay away from the infected girl," said Barrett, causing her to drop out.
Thanks to her own early experiences as one of the first 'internet babies,' Barrett has been advocating for stricter laws to protect children. "Social media has spread so rapidly and changed the way we live, act, and behave overnight. It's like we're all getting a new drug but without an understanding of its potential long-term effects," commented comedian and activist Caroline Easom to CNN. "The biggest lesson from those we know were shared excessively as children is that social media isn't a space for holding back, be it as a creator or a viewer. Social media isn't a safe place," she points out.
Legal Protections for Influencer Kids
In the US, a law was passed in Illinois aimed at ensuring financial compensation for influencer children. Part of the earnings their parents make from this content is set aside for them. However, the digital imprint of many children unwilling to have their personal information shared still remains. "I know from personal experience what it's like to have a digital footprint you didn't create yourself and that will follow you your entire life," shared Barrett.
Many influencer kids don't differentiate between their leisure time and the job thrust upon them without their consent. "I've talked to some child actors. One observation that really stood out was how they had a clear line between what they did in front of and what they did behind the camera when they were child actors," explained Chris McCarty, founder of the organization 'Quit Clicking Kids,' which campaigns against kids' financial exploitation on the internet. "When they were at home at the end of the day, they knew they didn't have to perform anymore. But this new generation of children no longer has a 'turnoff' switch at the end of the day because there's a camera in the house. It's like living in a movie set every day," he added.
In Germany, there are strict rules regarding child labor: kids between three to six years old can work for two hours a day between 8 and 17 o'clock, while those over six years can work for three hours a day between 8 and 22 o'clock, as mentioned in paragraph 6 of the Youth Employment Protection Act. However, there are no regulations regarding babies under three, who are already being shared on Instagram and similar platforms. Laws in other countries, like France, mirror this. In Germany, there's still no such regulation.
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The CNN platform delved into the impact of influencers sharing their children's lives on social media platforms like Instagram, highlighting the consequences experienced by individuals like Cam Barrett. Due to the widespread usage of influencer children on Instagram, organizations such as 'Quit Clicking Kids' advocate for stricter regulations and laws to protect young influencers. Despite the passing of a law in Illinois for financial compensation, many influencer kids continue to struggle with the long-term effects of having a digital footprint imposed upon them.
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