A new law that took effect on July 1 mandates that children featured on social media must be compensated for their participation.

The legislation updates the state’s Child Labor law to include children appearing on their parents’ or caregivers’ social media channels.

“The rise of social media has given children new opportunities to earn a profit,” Sen. David Koehler said in a press release after the bill’s signing last year.

“However, many parents have taken this opportunity to pocket the money while making their children continue to work in these digital environments.”

The law applies to children under 16 who appear in more than 30% of videos on monetised platforms, such as video blogs.

It stipulates that these children must receive 50% of the profits proportional to their screen time. The adult responsible for the videos must deposit the earnings into a trust account within 30 days, which the child can access at 18.

Family vlogs often share intimate details of children’s lives, such as grades, potty training, illnesses, misbehaviours, and first periods, with a wide audience.

Brand deals featuring popular child influencers can generate substantial income, but there are few regulations governing this “sharenthood” industry, which experts warn can seriously harm children.

#MaltaDaily