|
Senate Bill 1782 was filed by state Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria.
The measure provides that a video blogger who features a minor
child in a specified amount of their content shared on online
platforms like YouTube, Twitter, TikTok or others must set aside
a limited amount of gross earnings on the video content in a
trust account to be preserved for the benefit of the minor upon
reaching 18 years old.
"What we are talking about in this bill is what happens when a
child has their family vlog them and distributes it and makes a
lot of money," Koehler said during a news conference this week.
"It says that under certain criteria when money is made off of a
child that they set up this trust fund."
The legislation is similar to older laws that protected child
actors, according to state Sen. Linda Holmes, D-Aurora.
"Traditional child actors have been protected for a number of
years by child labor laws," Holmes said. "However, there is
nothing on the books to protect these child influencers."
Holmes went on to say that the need for this measure has never
been more prevalent.
"I think we see the necessity for this because the rise of
social media just creates opportunity for people, including
minors, to make money online," Holmes said. "This is something
we did not see years ago."
The measure would also allow for that child to request the
deletion of the content upon turning 18. The bill advanced out
of the Senate Labor Committee Wednesday and awaits further
action.
Andrew Hensel reports on issues in Chicago and
Statewide. He has been with The Center Square News since April
of 2021 and was previously with The Joliet Slammers.
|
|
