Work or play? Rise of online 'kidfluencers' raises complex legal and ethical questions

As children turn to YouTube as a career goal, it brings up issues of exploitation and online safety.

- Irmine Keta Rotimi and Crystal Yap

Videos of children opening boxes of toys and playing with them have become a feature of online marketing – making stars out of children as young as two.

Twelve-year-old influencer Ryan Kaji, for example, earns US$30 million (S$40.7 million) a year on YouTube, leading one of the most popular children's channels. His empire was built on toy unboxing.

An influencer (child or adult) with more than one million followers can earn upwards of US$20,000 for one sponsored post, while a person with under 100,000 followers on a social media platform may still earn as much as US$4,000 for each sponsored post.

But the rise of kidfluencers around the globe raises questions about the blurred lines between play and labour, independence and control, privacy, profit and online success.

Our research examines these questions. By analysing existing research to clearly identify the challenges faced by child toy-unboxers, we can guide future researchers and governments to best support children who are living parts of their lives online.

YOUTUBE AS A CAREER GOAL

A 2023 global survey of children aged between eight and 12 found they were three times as likely to aspire to be a YouTuber (29 per cent) than an astronaut (11 per cent).