Child Star or Child Labor? A Study of Digital Labor of Kidfluencers on Short Video Platforms

Abstract

With the development of the new media economy, platform performances have gradually become one of the forms of paid labor. In this context, children, as short video actors, are increasingly appearing in the public, gathering fans, Amassing fame and becoming a money-making Internet celebrity, they are excluded from the ranks of workers because of their status as minors and indirect media use. Reflecting on this evolution, this article argues that children, who create economic value for families and business firms through media performances, have become the digital workers，and they should be valued and protected.