A kid influencer is someone under the age of 18 who has built or is building a presence on social media platforms[1] creating content to generate views and engagements, that is often sponsored.[2] Kid influencers operate in a similar fashion to adult influencers; they share their hobbies and personal activities with their audiences, while also marketing products that align with their brand through paid partnerships.[3] Many social media platforms have an age minimum requiring users to be at least 13 years of age or older to hold their own accounts. This requirement results in many of the pages being run alongside the parent/guardian of the child when they are under the age requirement.[2]
In 2020, influencer marketing company Grin named The Axel Show, Tiana Wilson, twins Mila and Emma, and Greta Thunberg as some of the top kid influencers.[4]
The rise of this kind of advertising has raised many ethical and legal questions, especially since most of these influencers main fan bases are young children. It has also brought up concerns about protecting the child themselves from any corruption and/or manipulation from their parent or the brands they work with.[2]