Hold parents accountable for allowing their children to become social media influencers

Instagram can be a scary place for young girls, especially when their own parents are complicit in putting them at risk.

Many teenage and preteen girls aspire to become influencers. Unfortunately, some parents are willing to see their children exposed to potential harm in exchange for fame and money.

A recent report from the Wall Street Journal highlights the story of an anonymous young Instagram influencer who gained popularity and financial success through dance photos and videos.

Through her passion for dance, this high schooler has saved up $20,000 from donations, brand collaborations, and subscriber-only content, which she plans to use for a car and college tuition.

However, a concerning statistic is that 92% of her followers are men.

Her mother, who admitted to supporting her daughter’s influencer aspirations, is not only aware of this statistic but has also been notified that photos of her daughter in a bikini are being shared in disturbing Telegram groups filled with anonymous individuals with malicious intent.

One Telegram message even claimed, “We’re all model scouts, agents, and brand owners. We’re totally NOT jerking off to the pics.”

This creates a disturbing and exploitative situation where a teenage girl’s influence is on older individuals with inappropriate intentions, rather than on aspiring young dancers.

This situation is facilitated by parental supervision.

Meta prohibits anyone under 13 from creating an Instagram account, but allows for “adult-run minor accounts” with parental consent and oversight.

The dancer’s mother justified this by saying, “If you want to be an influencer, work with brands, get paid, and engage with people, you have to accept it.”

She disclosed spending two to four hours daily blocking users who exhibited inappropriate behavior towards her daughter when she was in middle school.

When does this behavior become unacceptable?

Despite being hard to believe, child influencers, such as teen dancers and toy testers, are highly sought after on Instagram.

For instance, tween dancer Everleigh Rose has nearly 5 million followers on her mother-run account, while 7-year-old twins Taytum and Oakley Fisher have over 3 million followers.

Parents and brands see child influencers as profitable assets, often turning a blind eye to the dark side of the internet.

This exploitation is not a new phenomenon. Parents have historically been criticized for exposing their children to Hollywood stardom or beauty pageants in pursuit of financial gain.

However, it is imperative to recognize this trend as exploitation.

Children deserve protection from the risks of the internet, both as consumers and producers of content.

Efforts are underway to safeguard children on social media platforms.

Politicians like Ron DeSantis have pushed for minimum age restrictions on social media, and US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has urged Congress to introduce warning labels on social media platforms, akin to those on tobacco products.

Murthy stated in a New York Times op-ed that Congress should enact legislation to shield young individuals from online harm, abuse, and exposure to inappropriate content that often appears on social media feeds.

While these measures are essential, they are insufficient to protect child influencers whose parents disregard warning signs.

Meta must tighten regulations and close the loophole of parent-supervised child influencers, as no child should be in the influencer sphere, period. Moreover, parents must prioritize their child’s well-being over the allure of influencer status.

Although being an influencer may seem glamorous and rewarding, it can also lead to harassment and exploitation.