The Dark Side of Family Vlogging: The Impacts of the Exploitation of Children on Social Media

Written by Stephanie Underwood, RSW

So, there I am this evening, casually scrolling through my social media feed, when I come across a reel of an 11 or 12-year-old girl in a grocery store, eating something she appears to have taken from the shelf or cart. She stares angrily at the camera as her mother films her. The girl then throws the rest of the food into the garbage and storms off toward a fridge, grabbing another item and tossing it into the cart.

Her mother complains, saying something that clearly irritates the child, who walks off again to grab more food. Suddenly, the father steps in, telling the mother to back off and let their daughter be.At this point, I’m watching this, feeling completely perplexed and uncomfortable.

So, I do what many of us do—I scroll to the comments section. And it’s a mess.

• Some people are furious at the parents for exploiting their daughter on camera.

• Others criticize the mother’s lack of authority in handling the situation.

• And then, the most disturbing part—dozens of cruel comments about the child’s weight, mocking her appearance and even giving unsolicited advice about what she “should” be eating.

My immediate thought?; “I would have absolutely died if my mom had done this to me at that age.” It’s hard enough looking back at my own cringeworthy Facebook posts from 15 years ago without feeling secondhand embarrassment. I can’t even imagine what it would feel like to have videos of myself like this—permanent, public, and open for strangers to judge. Whether this was a skit or not, it doesn’t change the fact that this child will eventually see these comments—and she will remember them. And that’s what makes this so unsettling.

In the age of digital content creation, family vlogging and child influencers have become widespread. Parents post videos of their children—sometimes from birth—sharing everything from innocent daily routines to scripted, exaggerated behavior designed for engagement. Some of these children amass millions of views, generating significant income for their families.

But here’s the problem: many of these kids don’t realize what’s happening to them, and Canada, among other countries, currently has no laws to protect them. Unlike child actors, who are legally required to have a portion of their earnings protected under child labor laws, children featured in social media content have no legal guarantee of financial compensation. More concerning, they also have no control over their digital presence, meaning the videos their parents post today could follow them for a lifetime.

The Problem With Family Content: When Parents Monetize Their Kids

Many family vloggers claim their videos are just “harmless fun” and that their children consent to being filmed. But here are just some of the issues.

Some of the worst cases include parents forcing their children into toxic personas—such as spoiled brat behavior, over-the-top tantrums, or scripted disrespect toward adults—all to fuel outrage and engagement. These roles might generate clicks, but they damage the child’s public reputation, potentially impacting their future relationships, education, and employment opportunities.

Children Can’t Give Informed Consent – A child may say “yes” to being filmed, but they cannot comprehend the long-term consequences of growing up with a digital footprint they didn’t choose.

Lack of Financial Protections – There are no laws requiring parents to set aside a portion of their child’s earnings, meaning parents can pocket 100% of the revenue.

Potential for Exploitation – The pressure to create more engaging content can lead to staged meltdowns, humiliating pranks, and unhealthy personas forced onto children for views.

Online Safety Risks – The more personal details shared about a child, the more vulnerable they are to privacy violations, stalking, or identity theft, or even child predators. Because, yes, that’s a big part of the audience of those who watch videos of children.

Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) - This is when predatory behavior is facilitated or ignored. There’s growing forensic evidence that child predators are actively bookmarking, sharing, and commenting on “innocent” family content across platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. It’s not just creepy—it’s dangerous.

The Internet Never Forgets

Many of us made mistakes as kids, but we were lucky enough that those moments weren’t broadcasted to millions. Children of influencers don’t have that luxury. Even if a parent decides to delete content later, screenshots, reuploads, and archives ensure these videos never fully disappear.

Imagine being a teenager and realizing your entire childhood has been documented online for strangers to comment on. Imagine future employers, romantic partners, or university admissions officers seeing videos of you acting like a “brat” or having a public meltdown. The long-term impact of this digital permanence is something most children aren’t even aware of—yet they’re the ones who will suffer the consequences.

Children Should Not Be Allowed on Camera for Entertainment—Period

Children shouldn’t even be allowed to be on camera for entertainment purposes. It’s like alcohol and cigarettes—kids can’t buy alcohol until they’re 18 or 19, depending on the province. There’s no special clause like, “A child can purchase alcohol if they are underage as long as a parent is with them.”It’s a hard no. Why? Because we, as a society, recognize that children lack the ability to understand the long-term impacts of drinking. So why do we allow them to be exploited for entertainment, where the consequences are just as serious?

These aren’t minor impacts. They are huge, life-altering consequences. A child in a viral video today has no idea that these clips will be permanent, searchable, and potentially damaging for their entire life. We have seen this play out in the child acting industry, where kids who grew up in the spotlight often struggled with mental health, addiction, and loss of autonomy over their own lives.

Think about Aaron Carter, a former child star who spent his life in the public eye and tragically passed away due to addiction and mental health struggles. Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, Jodie Sweetin, Britney Spears, Lindsay Logan, Macaulay Culkin, Demi Lovado, Amanda Bynes, Drew Barrymore, Corey Feldman & Corey Haim, Judy Garland - many child actors have similar stories—facing trauma, exploitation, and a loss of identity.

That’s just a small selection of child stars who struggled. The fact that so many high-profile cases exist proves how damaging it can be to grow up in the public eye.

What’s especially alarming is that most of these kids had legal protections in place, like Coogan laws (which require child actors to have a portion of their earnings saved). And yet, many still faced exploitation, mental health struggles, and addiction.

Now imagine social media kids, who have zero legal protections, no boundaries between public and private life, and parents controlling their entire digital footprint. The risk is even greater because:

• They don’t have a union protecting their rights.

• Their “work” never ends—it’s their entire life being filmed.

• They aren’t acting; their real personalities and reputations are on display.

• The internet never forgets—these videos can resurface decades later.

Social media kids are constantly filmed, forced into roles they may not even relate to, and subjected to public scrutiny before they even understand what that means.

We don’t allow parents to make life-altering decisions for their children when it comes to substances, gambling, or financial contracts—so why do we allow them to put their child’s entire life online for money?

Other Countries Are Taking Action—Why Isn’t Canada?

Some countries have already recognized the risks and taken steps to protect children in social media content:

• France (2020) – Passed a law requiring parents to set aside a portion of earnings for their child and giving kids the right to request content removal when they turn 18.

• Illinois, USA (2023) – Became the first U.S. state to pass a law ensuring that child influencers receive a fair share of earnings, modeled after child actor protections.

Canada has no clear regulations protecting children in influencer content. Family vloggers and child influencers operate in a legal gray area, meaning children have no guaranteed financial rights, no privacy protections, and no say in how their personal image is used.

What Countries Need to Do

It’s time for Canada, and other countries, to step up and protect children from social media exploitation. Here’s what needs to change:

1. Ban Child-Centered Social Media Content for Entertainment – Parents should not be allowed to monetize their children for entertainment purposes, just as we don’t allow child labor in most industries.

2. Amend Child Labor Laws – Require parents to set aside a percentage of their child’s earningsin a protected trust, similar to how child actors are protected under the Coogan Law.

3. Create Digital Privacy Rights for Minors – Allow children to request content removal when they turn 18 if they no longer want their childhood videos online.

   
   

4. Regulate Monetized Family Content – Implement clear guidelines on parental use of a child’s image, ensuring that kids aren’t being used for financial gain without oversight.

   
   

5. Increase Awareness & Education – Provide resources to parents on the long-term impact of online exposure and ensure they understand the ethical concerns of using their child for content.

What You Can Do

If you believe children deserve protection in the digital age, here’s how you can help:

✔ Raise Awareness – Share this article, start conversations, and help spread the message about the risks of child exploitation in social media content.

✔ Sign Petitions – Push for policy changes by supporting petitions advocating for child digital rights.

✔ Contact Your MP – Reach out to your Member of Parliament and demand legal protections for children in influencer content.

✔ Support Ethical Content Creators – Follow and engage with influencers who promote child privacy and ethical digital parenting.

Final Thoughts

Children should be able to grow up without a digital trail they didn’t choose. While social media continues to evolve, it’s our responsibility to ensure that children’s rights and well-being are prioritized over clicks and views.

Canada has the opportunity to be a leader in protecting children in the digital space—but change won’t happen unless we demand it. Let’s start the conversation.

What are your thoughts on child influencers and family vloggers? Do you think Canada, and other countries, need stronger laws to protect kids in social media content? Let’s discuss below!