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A 4th state just passed laws protecting 'child influencers' from their own parents

A former 'Youtube star' had brutal words for these parents in her testimony.

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New laws aim to protect teen and child influencers' money. It's a start.

In recent years, some big questions have popped up about the kids you see on social media. When an influencer posts a photo with their children or an adorable candid family video, it might not ring many alarm bells. But what if their kids are constantly an integral part of their every day content? What if those influencers rely on the cuteness of their kids, or the hilarious things they say, to drive engagement of their content? Content they earn money for?

In the worst cases, teens and even toddlers are not just a prop in their parents' videos, but they are positioned as the "stars" of their own social media accounts. Child influencers. I remember once seeing a shocking post about a 3-year-old girl who was "excited" to tour the country and meet all of her fans. My own daughter is that age and only cares about cartoons and mac and cheese, so it's ridiculously easy to see the parents pulling the strings behind the scenes. But social media is big business, and big money.

Finally, something is being done to protect these kids. Utah just became the 4th state to pass simple legislation designed to ensure children are at least being fairly compensated for their work online.


influencers, social media, screentime, youtube, tiktok, instagram, children, families, parentsUtah is letting kids delete content they appeared in when they turn 18. Photo by Ethan De Long on Unsplash

The new law dictates that any family earning more than $150,000 per year from online content that includes their children set up a trust fund for them, and offers guidance via a formula to calculate how much the kids are owed for their appearances. It may not end up being much, but at least the kids will be compensated somewhat for their own likeness.

Most fascinatingly, the Utah law also gives kids the right to have any content they appeared in deleted when they turn 18. That is a major win, and it gives kids some agency back when they become adults capable of making their own informed decisions.

Other states with similar protections include California, Illinois, and Minnesota — with legislation currently being drafted and debated in many more places. The monetary protections are a good start, but more will definitely need to be done to reign in parents putting kids on the Internet without their permission. The exposure, fame, and messages can do a lifetime of harm to young people.

The passing of the law hinged on testimony by former child YouTube "star" Shari Franke, who was forced to appear on her family's channel 8 Passengers as a kid. Her mother was later arrested for child abuse.

“I want to be clear: there’s never, ever a good reason for posting your children online for money or fame," Franke said to lawmakers. "There’s no such thing as a moral or ethical family vlogger. ... The only people harmed by child influencer laws are the parents exploiting their children.”

She called being a child influencer "24/7 labor" and has urged for stronger protections that go beyond just setting aside money earned.

"How do we determine how much a child should get paid for appearing in family content?" she said. "What price is worth giving up your childhood?

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

The line between using your kids as props to monetize and genuinely sharing moments from your family's life is thin and grey. This area of social media is uncharted territory, and we don't even know the full impact of how growing up in the online spotlight (and not by their own free will) will affect kids. There will always be loopholes in legislation meant to protect kids. Hollywood has been trying to get it right for nearly 100 years, starting with the first law that gave child actors some control of ownership over their own wages.

It's great that Utah is taking a first step, and hopefully many more parts of the country follow suit soon.

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Resurfaced clip shows a pre-famous Chappell Roan nailing 'Dream' by the Cranberries

Dolores O'Riordan would be proud.

@joedotie/TikTok

She was made for this.

Any fan of Chappell Roan knows she’s a master of switching back and forth between head and chest voice, to the point where yodeling is a bit of a signature move. And while yodeling isn’t the most mainstream of pop music tricks, when it works, man does it work. Her single “Guilty Pleasure” is a brilliant example of this.

Prior to Roan, there was another female vocalist whose folksy yodel was the stuff of legend that you might fondly remember—Dolores O’Riordan of the Cranberries. While you can pretty much hear that satisfying keening in every Cranberries song, it really shines in “Dream” during the third verse. If you know the song, you know the part I’m talking about. (Aah, la-ah-la-ah, La-la-la, La-ah-la-ah…you can hear it, can’t you?)

And while “Dream” will always rightfully belong to O’Riordan, a resurfaced clip from Roan’s pre-famous days shows that her unique voice also lends itself perfectly to it, and has made people excited to hear one of the band’s beloved tunes come to life again in a whole new way.

Below, in a video posted to TikTok by the account @joedotie, we see Roan before she was a household name pulling out the cover while opening up for singer Declan McKenna for his concert in Virginia. As the account, and tons of viewers, noted, her voice is so incredibly well suited for recreating that distinct Cranberries sound, it’s a bit unreal.

Watch:

@joedotie A video of Chappell Roan covering Dreams by The Cranberries from 2018 has gone viral before the American singer would become a household name.⁠ ⁠ The video of Chappell Roan is from a Declan McKenna gig in Virginia, USA.⁠ ⁠ The singer's voice is so well suited to The Cranberries. #ireland #dublin #irish ♬ original sound - JOE.ie


Down in the comments, people couldn’t help but share the love.

“This has to be the most respectful cover I’ve ever heard of this song.”

“Possibly the only person who can do this song justice and not butcher it.”

“Hats off to Chappell Roan, that’s probably the best rendition outside of Dolores herself.”

And in case you’re jonesing for more after that short sample, here is a full version of the cover, from the same tour:

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Again, people applauded Roan for paying perfect homage to O’Riordan, and noted split similarities between the two icons.

“Chappell brought me back to the ‘90s — an era I miss. She did a terrific job. Dolores would be proud.”

“OMG!!! This was absolutely stunning. It's like Dolores reincarnated into Chappell cuz her voice especially the yodeling at the end was nothing short of heavenly and beautiful and perfect. Thank you for sharing this. I hope one day Chappell sings this again in a huge sold-out arena in the future.”

“Well it’s safe to say, she definitely has some Gaelic roots!! She kills the keening kind of vocal. Dolores would be proud of not only her vocals and talent, but also her fierceness, individuality and her willingness to stand up and fight against the grievances of fame. She is the most exciting artist I’ve listened to since Lana. So proud!”

Like Roan, O’Riordan had a knack for bringing her own distinct expression into everything she did, whether that was an original song or a cover. It’s part of what makes her still such a renowned artist today, long after her tragic passing. And it certainly seems to be the path that Roan has chosen for herself, whether it be through constantly evolving her vocal styles and general aesthetic, to using her platform to bring topics that matter to her into the conversation, as she did recently by using her Grammy speech to advocate for artists to make a more "livable wage.”

Similarly, O’Riordan was an activist herself, particularly advocating for children throughout the world. Heck, “Zombie,” arguably the Cranberries' most popular chart-topper, was a protest song. All this to say, maybe Roan was inspired by more than just O’Riordan’s musical choices. Who knows. If that’s the case, she certainly seems to be succeeding.

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Benny Blanco shocks fiancé Selena Gomez when he reveals that he often cries in the shower

He shared the personal detail in their first joint interview.

www.interviewmagazine.com

Roe Ethridge

For fans of Selena Gomez and her fiancé (record producer, songwriter) Benny Blanco, it was a treat that they sat down for their first joint interview with Interview magazine's Mel Ottenberg for the piece, Benny and Selena Against the World.They got as candid as two people can get, but it's not surprising. Their vulnerability as individuals is part of what makes them both such talented artists.

It was their behind-the-scenes TikTok video at the interview that grabbed a lot of people's attention. It was there that Benny admitted he gets "death realizations" in the shower. Let me back up. First, he asks Selena, "Have you ever cried in the shower? It's incredible." After she laughs, he gets more serious. "Sometimes you just have to have a good cry. I always get death realizations in the shower. Like, I realize I'm gonna die, but it's in the shower. And then I cry about it a little bit, and then it goes away. And then I feel great because I'm (he gestures) the warm water."

@interviewmag

We love a good shower cry 🚿 @Selena Gomez and @benny blanco answer a few questions about each other behind the scenes of our March issue cover shoot. #selenagomez #bennyblanco

This leads to Selena reading a prepared question: "Who cries the most?" They both agree that it's Selena. Benny touchingly explains, "She cries if she sees any video early in the morning that's like— a dog, a child." Selena adds, "A grandparent." Benny concurs. "A grandparent. Some hybrid of all three that we've never even seen before. She cries."

The printed interview reveals so much about their relationship.

ON THEIR INITIAL FRIENDSHIP

Benny Blanco and Selena GomezPhoto by: Roe Ethridge www.interviewmagazine.com

They met when Selena was about 16 or 17 and still with Disney Records, after her mom set up a meeting. Benny admits, "That's right when I became big and she wasn't a singer yet."

He was drawn to her music, calling her "the original sad girl." But it was their underlying friendship that sealed their fate. Ottenberg asks when they "knew" they were into each other. Selena confesses, "It was really simple. We got in the studio to work on a song, and we just talked; that’s how easy it was for me. I liked him before he liked me."

Benny had no idea. But on their second hangout, he got it. "Our second date, I was like, 'Wait, does she like me?' I was clueless. From then on, it was easy. You know when you think you met the right person, you’re like, 'Oh my god.' But it feels so different. The second we started hanging out, I was like, 'This is my wife.' I was telling my mom, 'This is the girl I’m going to marry.'"

ON MUTUAL RESPECT

selena gomez GIF by Interscope RecordsGiphy

When it comes to her music, Selena is incredibly humble and admits she has had trouble in the past asking for what she wants on an album. Of Benny, she says, "Sometimes it’s difficult for me to speak up. Most of my anxiety right now is wanting him to speak because I feel like he’s more talented than I am in this field. It’s like working with a great filmmaker. Whether we were together or not, I think he still would’ve listened to everything that I had to say, and he was able to almost transcribe it into music, into what the feeling of what I was talking about should be. And I really found that to be helpful because this album definitely feels just as much mine as I’m sure it does his."

Benny is in awe of Selena's talent. "The thing that Selena does that not a lot of artists do is she’s never afraid to tell the truth, even if it might not be the most popular thing. Sometimes she’s sad, sometimes she hasn’t figured out love, but she always says it in the realest way that so many people can connect with. So many pop stars are unattainable, but somehow she’s the largest person in the room and makes each person feel like she’s exactly like them."

ON HOW TO MAKE IT WORK

Selena Gomez and Benny BlancoPhoto by: Roe Ethridge www.interviewmagazine.com

Benny makes this one simple. "Happy wife, happy life. Shut the f up and listen to your partner." Selena cuts to the chase too. "Find your best friend and don't settle."

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Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard open up about being attracted to other people - and why that's OK

For many couples, bringing up such a sensitive topic can cause some major jealousy.

via The Walt Disney Company / Flickr

One of the ways to tell if you're in a healthy relationship is whether you and your partner are free to talk about other people you find attractive. For many couples, bringing up such a sensitive topic can cause some major jealousy.

Of course, there's a healthy way to approach such a potentially dangerous topic. Telling your partner you find someone else attractive shouldn't be about making them feel jealous. It's probably also best that if you're attracted to a coworker, friend, or their sibling, that you keep it to yourself.

But, being open about your sexual feelings, can be a way to spice things up in the bedroom and to let your partner know what you like.

Actress and mental health advocate Kristen Bell admits that she and her husband, actor Dax Shepard, have learned how to be open about their attraction to other people. The couple believes that being able to talk about such taboo topics without making each other jealous is a great way to preserve their relationship.

"He can tell me someone he finds attractive, female or male, 'cause he pauses the Olympics on a lot of runners, but it doesn't make me feel like he's going to leave me for that person because I'm not allowing my self-esteem to be affected," she explained.

Bell believes that it's completely normal and healthy for people in monogamous relationships to be attracted to other people.

"I know there are people on planet Earth that are more attractive than me, and well, we're not dead. I have to acknowledge we're monkeys," Bell said. As an attractive, famous couple working in Hollywood, there is extra pressure for them to be able to handle their jealousy.

The couple has also done a good job at accepting the fact that Bell is the primary bread-winner in the family. Studies show men have higher levels of stress if their wives earn more than 40% of their home's combined income.

About a third of women in the U.S. make more than their husbands.

While Shepard has had a successful career, acting in films such as "Idiocracy" and "Without a Paddle," Bell has starred in some major hits including, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and the "Bad Moms" films.

She's also made a pretty penny voicing Princess Anna in Disney's "Frozen" franchise.

"I think I've always out-earned him," Bell said about their careers. "I got a lot of opportunity, you're sharing in it, we're able to provide for a ton of our family members who may or may not be struggling," she continued, as if addressing Shepard. "I don't look at it like, 'This is mine and this is yours.' I'm like, 'This is ours. Get over it.'"

Bell believes that the couple's ability to get over petty jealousy is one way to make sure their unique relationship stands the test of time.

"Do you want to be on the porch with someone when you're 80?" Bell asked. "We both want that."


This article originally appeared four years ago.

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