COLUMBUS, Ohio — In this digital age, budding actors and actresses have a lot more ways to kick start their careers, and many youth could turn to social media to jumpstart their careers. Child vloggers with a viral online platform could get paid a lot of money and a new proposal aims to protect a portion of the funds for the minor to access when they are 18 years old.
"I couldn't comprehend the short and long term implications of work hours," Alyson Stoner, a former-Disney star and child actor, said at a press conference at the Ohio Statehouse. "Having my name, and physical body commodified and consumed by millions of strangers or earning income and making financial decisions for my future."
Stoner is an Ohio native from the Toledo area, and began their career at seven years old. They said they worked long-hours, acted, danced and starred in various content as a child. However, when Stoner grew-up they found out their was no money in their bank account due to finances being unknowingly unprotected and mishandled. As a minor, Stoner left all expenses up to their parents, but after their experience, Stoner is trying to help other kids from facing similar problems.
"Media has expanded significantly since my childhood," Stoner said. "And, the social media landscape substantially broadens the entry-point for young people to be recorded, posted and monetized."
Stoner has become an advocate of 'The Kidinfluencer Protection Act.' It's a proposal by Democrats at the Ohio Statehouse. The bill would require a certain portion of the money earned by children vloggers to be placed into a financial trust fund they could access they turn 18 years old.
"Children are at high risk for mental health disorders, anxiety, depression and addiction. When they miss key developmental phases of their childhood, when they are working as kid influencers, they face an enormous amount of pressure, the pressure to be liked and entertain," Dr. Susan Albers, psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic, said.
Dr. Albers says children are vulnerable, and when they begin recieving financial-compensation it could be a challenge for families to navigate the overall situation. She says it's critical for parents to continue to check-in on their child if they are a child star vlogging content. Plus, if the family has a joint-channel vlogging content then they should understand all of the risks.
"It is an important aspect for kids and parents to work together to understand their financial literacy," Dr. Albers said. "To create boundaries around the money that they are making, and also to make sure that it impacts them in a positive way in their future."
The proposal would also give those children the ability when they turn 18 years old to request their public images be taken off of any online vlog or video-content, and under the bill, the online platforms must comply.
"I'm still managing long term consequences to my mental, emotional, physical and financial well-being," Stoner said. "And I can verify that these experiences are all too common."
Nationally, Illinois has passed similar protections for child influencers using online content.