Child labor on social media: how far does full protection go?

Abstract

This article, based on bibliographical research and referenced in Marx's critical social theory, proposes to analyze the new configurations of artistic child labor in social media, with the so-called child influencers, whose image, excessively exploited and the massive demands for content production, in addition to the mediation between brands and consumers, highlight their labor and commodity condition, made invisible by the possibility of fame and financial gains for themselves and their families. The naturalization of this type of exploitation, the harm to health, the enrichment of digital platforms and the absence of specific legislation that protects and provides security to children and adolescents in the digital space, are some of the issues discussed in this study, which concludes on the urgency of regulations to combat child labor on the internet, in addition to awareness-raising actions and the carrying out of studies and research on capitalist exploitation through digital platforms.