This paper explores the increasing prevalence of child social media influencers in Taiwan. It appears that their motivations extend beyond popularity and mere financial incentives to include opportunities for self-expression, the development of communication abilities, and the acquisition of audio-visual development skills. However, the article underscores critical concerns regarding the well-being of child influencers. These concerns stem from unique dilemmas related to child labor, privacy, and parental control, including potential impediments to holistic development, popularity-related bullying, emotional and psychological vulnerabilities to performance pressure and feedback, and the possibility of exploitation arising from unregulated monetization. The analysis reveals the inadequacies of existing Taiwanese legal frameworks in effectively addressing the unique concerns and vulnerabilities of child influencers. Despite legislative and media discourse, socio-political challenges persist. Public and cultural disagreements on child online rights and parental control, with regulatory duty disputes, hinder comprehensive protection for Taiwan’s child influencers.
Yavor A. Kostadinov (Tue,) studied this question.