Do social-media child stars "work"?
Episode description
Teenager Piper Rockelle and her friends created a multimillion-dollar YouTube empire. A lawsuit threatens it, and brings up questions about whether what young influencers do for a living constitutes “work.”
Today, we examine the history of child labor laws in California, and what might happen in this digital age. Read the full transcript here.
Host: Gustavo Arellano
Guests: L.A. Times senior entertainment reporter Amy Kaufman, and L.A. Times arts and culture writer Jessica Gelt
More reading:
Inside the blockbuster lawsuit threatening one teen YouTube star’s multimillion-dollar empire
Column: Social media platforms must stop the exploitation of child performers. Now
Who’s protecting social media’s child stars? Inside the lawsuit against one YouTuber’s empire