NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — One Tennessee lawmaker is pushing to create protections for child online influencers through legislation that would put age limits on posting for a profit and ensure parents don’t pocket all the cash.
Influencing is a $35 billion industry worldwide, according to the Digital Marketing Institute, but Sen. Page Walley (R-Savannah) told 6 News’ sister station WRKN when kids are involved, it becomes a form of child labor.
“We’re not talking about kids in coal mines and sweatshops, but we are talking about kids who are being asked to participate by adults in content creation and performance in this kind of new entertainment and information economy,” Walley said.
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Walley’s bill would ban children under 14 from creating content online for money, and require parents who feature their children 14 and older in their content, to put a portion of the earnings into a trust for their child to access when they’re older…