Kidfluencers and Family Vlogs: The Line Between Hobby and Work
During this Media Literacy Week, we’re focusing on children’s active use of social media: kidfluencers and children’s appearances in family vlogs or posts by mom- and dadfluencers. Thousands of children in the Netherlands play a prominent role in online content, sometimes generating significant income for themselves and their parents. At first glance, this may seem harmless, but the popularity of kidfluencers also raises concerns about the balance between hobby and work, child welfare, and the boundaries of child labor.
“Children can enjoy influencing and participating in family vlogs, but they cannot always foresee the impact this work may have. Therefore, it is important to develop an effective approach to help parents and children responsibly navigate social media.” – Henri Faun, researcher
“When does a hobby become work?”
Research conducted for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment by Panteia, in collaboration with VHP and advised by Bureau Jeugd en Media (Bureau Youth and Media), shows that children who frequently share content or appear in family vlogs can experience significant pressure to remain active online. This can lead to mental strain and privacy risks. Furthermore, children and parents are not always adequately prepared to negotiate fair business agreements with advertisers and sponsors. This raises questions about how young influencers can responsibly participate in online productions and how they can be better supported and protected against potential negative impacts.
Despite these potential risks, most parents and children view kidfluencer activities as a hobby rather than work. Child labor is subject to various regulations. Legally, children under 13 may only work in the context of cultural or artistic productions, and producers must obtain a permit for this. For children 13 and older, there are clear rules regarding what is allowed in terms of work.
The Panteia and VHP report offers various options for an approach that protects kidfluencers from possible negative consequences of their activities. These include a registry for commercially active children, limits on the number of hours a child can work on commercial posts, fair income distribution, and guidance from a mentor. The government is reviewing the report and will respond after the summer next year.
The full report (in Dutch) can be downloaded here.
