COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio leaders are taking action to protect kids featured in social media content.
When it comes to child labor laws, social media content is uncharted territory. Many videos posted online feature kids, and in some instances, parents are monetizing off this type of content.
"Social media platforms are the new path for turning child labor into profits," said state Rep. Lauren McNally (D-Youngstown). "Beyond the traditional concerns of privacy, this money-making opportunity raises serious questions about the legal rights and protections of these children."
Former child entertainer and Disney Channel star Alyson Stoner, an Ohio native, shared some of the impacts of being a child in the spotlight.
"Personally, I’m still managing long-term consequences to my mental, emotional, physical and financial well-being," Stoner said at a press conference Tuesday. "200 films and projects later, as an adult, I discovered zero dollars in a bank account due to my finances being unknowingly unprotected and mishandled."
Kids in traditional media are often protected under a union.
"And there’s no union in existence for digital media," Stoner said.
The Kidfluencer Protection Act would require adult vloggers who feature kids in their content to set aside a certain amount of money for the child to be able to access once they turn 18.
This doesn’t mean this would apply to any video posted online featuring someone under the age of 18. This bill focuses specifically on videos that are monetized. Money would be determined by a minimum contribution of one-half of the percentage of time the child's likeness, name or photograph was featured in a vlog, multiplied by the gross earnings for that vlog in a calendar year.
"The ones when a family is being compensated or being paid to produce images that involve their child," McNally said.
The legislation would also allow child influencers to request videos using their likeness to be removed after they turn 18.
"It’s worth getting ahead of before we watch a new pipeline for child exploitation take shape right on our phones," Stoner said.
The Kidfluencer Protection Act will receive a bill number and head to a House Committee.
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