NASHVILLE – A bill aimed at expanding Tennessee’s child labor laws to cover minors working as social media influencers advanced to the state House of Representatives this week, marking one of the first legislative efforts to regulate the emerging sector of youth content creation.
The proposed legislation would require parents or guardians of child influencers under 18 earning income from platforms like TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram to set aside a percentage of earnings in a trust fund until adulthood. Analysts suggest the measure responds to growing concerns about financial exploitation and lack of protections for minors in the creator economy.
‘This is about closing a loophole that leaves young digital creators vulnerable,’ said a legislative staffer familiar with the bill who spoke on condition of anonymity. ‘Traditional child performer laws don’t account for this new type of work.’
Tennessee’s existing regulations for child performers – including requirements for trust accounts, work permits, and restricted hours – primarily cover television, film, and theater. The state has become a hub for family vloggers and kid-focused channels due to its entertainment industry infrastructure and tax incentives.
Opponents argue the bill could create unnecessary burdens for families earning supplemental income through content creation. ‘Most parent-run channels reinvest earnings directly into production costs and education,’ countered a spokesperson for the Digital Creators Guild, an industry group.
If passed, Tennessee would join Illinois and Washington as states attempting to regulate minor influencers. Legal experts note such measures may face challenges defining qualifying income thresholds and enforcement mechanisms across platforms.