Regulation could disrupt the booming “kidfluencer” business::undefined

  • ConditionOverload@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    133
    ·
    1 year ago

    One of the most toxic “businesses” in existence. Completely based on exploitation, even more so than normal commercials and TV shows ever have done.

  • Dankry@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    67
    ·
    1 year ago

    Some child influencers are born to “momfluencers”, inheriting large followings before they have learned to walk. The LaBrants, a family based in Tennessee, have accumulated millions of followers documenting their lives online. They run Instagram accounts for each of their children; their youngest, aged one and four, already have 1.4m followers on a joint profile

    You know, we’re just now reaching the point where there are adults who’ve had their entire lives documented on social media without their consent by well meaning parents and I think that in and of itself has always been a selfish and irresponsible thing to do. But this is a whole different level of crazy. I can’t begin to imagine the amount of greed motivating these people to rob their own children of their privacy and force them into some “kidfluencer” role before they can even talk. Those “momfluencers” may be getting wealthy from all this but they’re morally bankrupt.

    • db2@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      20
      arrow-down
      5
      ·
      1 year ago

      well meaning

      You sure about that one? Because I’m pretty sure it comes from selfishness, not altruism.

      • Dankry@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        33
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        You sure about that one.

        Yes. I believe the vast majority of parents since the beginning of the social media age simply never even considered the potential privacy issues at play when they filled their accounts with pictures of their kids. They were just proud parents sharing their lives with friends and family.

        Just because I think it’s selfish and irresponsible does not mean I think the average parent was acting with malicious intent. Social media was brand new for everyone, I’m not going to judge someone too harshly for failing to understand that their social media activity over the years could undermine their children’s right to privacy.

      • theragu40@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        13
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        Honestly, people are just trying to share pictures and life updates with friends and family. At least, the kind of people the person you replied to is referring to are. It wasn’t something I thought much about until my wife (who is a teacher and more attuned to kids and privacy issues) mentioned she didn’t want our kids to have a ton of people posting pictures of them everywhere. Once I sat and thought about it I was in complete agreement but it quite honestly hadn’t crossed my mind before that.

    • Tygr@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      That’s just sad. I was a very introverted kid and this would have done severe damage to me.

    • Buddahriffic@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      And, knowing how shit people in general are, I bet there’s death threats involved if they decide they don’t want those followers anymore and just want to be left alone.

  • xX_fnord_Xx@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    46
    ·
    1 year ago

    Imagine being a five year old and being forced to film an unboxing vid whenever you got a toy in the mail.

    Imagine becoming popular online at 6 and the toys start coming in the mail so fast you can’t even play with them, there is always more unboxing to do.

    Imagine being 14, and everytime you tripped, sneezed, misspoke, cried was documented and shared across a dozen networks.

  • Aer@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    43
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    So they should, child labour laws should apply to these kids just as any other business. The money earned from these videos need to be paid to the child. Even if it’s in a trust fund where the kid can take it out when they’re old enough and can make better decisions. Like child tv stars they need to only have to work a set amount of hours, no longer.

    When I say this I’m talking about toy channels, I’m not talking about the mumfluencer channels. This kind of constant forceful filming of their childrens every moment should be stopped, kids need to have privacy, it’s known to be detrimental to their mental health when they’re constantly documented, and they are also far more likely to get bullied because of it.

    I can’t begin to imagine all my bad childhood memories being immortalised thanks to a pushy parent who saw me as a money machines more than a person.

  • Hazdaz@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    39
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    1 year ago

    We can thank that piece of shit Reagan for originally loosening the rules that involved marketing to kids back in the 80s.

    It’s been downhill ever since. Nowadays kids doing the influencing by marketing to other kids is the ultimate move for greedy corporations. We need to rein in the amount of marketing we do to kids.

  • inspxtr@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    35
    ·
    1 year ago

    did not know “kidinfluencer” is a thing. the exploitative, child labor nature of such concept, the detrimental mental health effects of such practice, on kids no less. definitely something we can live without.

  • El Barto@lzrprt.sbs
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    9
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    Translation: We won’t be able to make money off these children if you treat them like human beings.

  • devious@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    6
    ·
    1 year ago

    Oh no, won’t somebody please think of the parents right to exploit their children!

    It is honestly depressing that there is a need to regulate something so seemingly obvious - but here we are.

  • ExaptationStation@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    arrow-down
    6
    ·
    1 year ago

    Are there any devil’s advocate arguments in favor or non-harmful benefits of a parental- supervised, version of this, though? Not expecting much.

    I’m just as honestly ignorant about this crap as most of the other folks here, but genuinely curious, so I don’t just go with my knee jerk reaction (ban this shit, it’s harmful for society) without considering facts of which I’m unaware.

    ¯_(ツ)_/¯

    • thebestaquaman@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      I don’t get why people are downvoting you? You’re literally asking for “devils advocate arguments” and saying your immediate reaction is to oppose this.

      Come on people, be better than just downvoting a legitimate question from someone who admits to being uninformed.