Nel frenetico mondo odierno della creazione di contenuti online sta emergendo una tendenza degna di nota: i giovani influencer stanno conquistando la ribalta. Queste stelle nascenti del web, spesso comprese al meglio dai loro coetanei della Generazione Z, raccolgono un enorme seguito grazie a vlog coinvolgenti e a contenuti sui social media che catturano l'attenzione.
Gli influencer bambini possono avere anche solo sei anni (si pensi, ad esempio, a Elle Lively McBroom, che vanta ben 4,2 milioni di follower su Instagram!). Ma il campione in carica è Ryan Kaji, che vanta oltre 34 milioni di iscritti su YouTube. E il suo segreto? Scartare giocattoli e condividere le avventure durante il gioco, ovviamente!
Yet, handling global fame and fortune is no small feat for a commercially untrained child. So, what are the commercial rights of a child influencer, and to what extent can they override the authority of those with parental responsibility over them?
Il business degli influencer bambini
Surprisingly, these young stars hold significant commercial sway, rivalling small and medium-sized businesses in terms of income and value. Some parents dive headfirst into this journey, taking on quasi-managerial roles, overseeing social media accounts, negotiating contracts, and producing content, all while their child continues to build and sell their brand.
Bambini influencer e contratti commerciali
Child influencers primarily thrive on sponsorship deals with major brands like Nickelodeon and Mattel (Ryan Kaji is a shining example). Payment usually lands in a designated account under the child’s name or in their parents’ hands to manage in trust.
Dal punto di vista giuridico, un bambino influencer può essere vincolato da contratti ai sensi del diritto inglese? Analizziamo la questione:
- Contratti per beni di prima necessità: Pensa a cibo, bevande, abbigliamento, alloggio, medicinali, ecc.;
- Beneficial Contratti: Questi comprendono l'apprendistato, l'istruzione e vari servizi.
Se un contratto non rientra in nessuna delle due categorie, il minore potrebbe avere la possibilità di annullarlo. Ciò non significa tuttavia che l'altra parte adulta non rimanga contrattualmente responsabile. I contratti possono anche essere fatti valere se apportano un chiaro beneficio al minore, specialmente in termini di guadagno finanziario sostanziale. Questi tipi di contratti sono simili ai contratti di rappresentanza per attori minorenni, sebbene possano essere oggetto di un certo scrutinio pubblico
Le piattaforme e i relativi account
Thanks to age restrictions set by Data Protection Laws, a child influencer typically can’t officially own their social media account (as stated in the T&Cs). This measure aims to protect underage users and the platforms themselves. Thus, parents’ consent is key to creating and managing the profile, with income usually belonging to the account holder, subject to any legal obligations with third parties.
Orientarsi nel mondo della proprietà intellettuale
While there’s no age restriction on creating intellectual property, child influencers are unlikely to own copyright over their own work, though in certain circumstance the influencer may have intellectual proprietà rights in the form of Diritti di esecuzione (Art. 180, comma 2, della legge sul diritto d'autore, sui disegni e modelli e sui brevetti), but that is for another article. It’s typically the parents who film or produce the content who hold the rights, even in cases where a third-party production company is used.
Il potere della riorganizzazione aziendale
For influencers’ parents, using corporate structures is a smart move to mitigate legal risks and ensure tax efficiency. The company, not the individual, takes the lead in contracts with sponsors, and income is channelled into the company, which can then be paid out in dividends. While there’s no age restriction on owning shares, there is on company directorship, so parents usually take on this role while the child is appointed as a shareholder.
Comprendere le dinamiche familiari
In ogni famiglia è inevitabile che sorgano dei disaccordi. Ma cosa succede quando tali disaccordi riguardano un bambino influencer, che detiene le chiavi del reddito e della reputazione della propria famiglia? La carriera del bambino deve trovare un equilibrio con i diritti dei genitori, noti come Responsabilità genitoriale (Comunicato stampa), descritto in Articolo 3, paragrafo 1, della legge sui minori del 1989.
These rights include determining education, medical decisions, name changes, accessing records, travel consent, legal representation, and religious upbringing. PR extends to the child’s property, potentially affecting their role as an influencer.
In the event relations sour between a child influencer and their parents, it can spell doom for the Child’s burgeoning business. See “Genitori influencer e i bambini la cui infanzia è stata trasformata in contenuto”.
Two critical issues emerge: first, what if both parents can’t agree on the child influencer’s role? Second, what rights do parents have over the commercial side, extending to finances, exposure, and privacy concerns? Consider ‘Harry’, a 12-year-old influencer with over 500,000 followers. His parents hold diametrically opposite views on his influencer status. Whilst she is supportive, his father worries about its impact on Harry’s education and future.
This decision squarely falls under PR, potentially shaping Harry’s life in profound ways. In the event the parents cannot agree, one parent may apply to the family court to step in as an objective party and decide in the child’s best interest. In reaching a decision, a court volontà take various factors into account including age, time commitments, and safeguarding children’s professional rights before they reach the age of consent.
Recent reports highlight a regolatore gap in UK child labour laws, leaving child influencers without adequate protection. Some have become primary income sources for their families, yet they lack the same protections as child entertainers.
While there’s currently limited case law on this matter, the surge in child influencers is likely to lead to a whole can of legal worms, making this an area well worth following.
If you require assistance with Commercial or Family law issues, our dedicated teams are ready to supporto you.
Contattateci:
- Mansour Mansour: Avvocato specializzato in diritto societario e commerciale │ m.Mansour@rfblegal.co.uk │ 020 3995 7798
- Adam Bowes: Avvocato specializzato in diritto di famiglia e socio │ a.bowes@rfblegal.co.uk │ 020 7613 7130
- Beth Alexander: Avvocato specializzato in diritto di famiglia │ b.alexander@rfblegal.co.uk │ 0208 138 8127
Ulteriori informazioni
- Autori della notizia: Adam Bowes | Mansour Mansour | Beth Alexander
Adam Bowes
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