Minnesota Law Bans Monetized Social Media Content Featuring Kids Under 14

A first-of-its-kind law in Minnesota is drawing national attention. As of July 1, children under the age of 14 are no longer allowed to appear in monetized content on social media platforms. The law also adds compensation requirements for older minors who participate in such content.

For Jenna Greer, a Minnesota mom and content creator with hundreds of thousands of followers across TikTok and Instagram, this means reevaluating how she shares her family’s life online.

“It’s been a fun digital scrapbook,” said Greer. “I’ve had moms say I helped them through postpartum. I think I love the community the most.” While Greer earns some revenue from creator funds, most of it comes from sponsored posts.

The new law treats participation in monetized videos as labor—similar to traditional jobs.

“If they’re 13 and under, kids can’t work in the ice cream shop, and they can’t work in their parents’ content creation either,” said William McGeveran, Dean of the University of Minnesota Law School. “It views appearing in monetized content as work.”

Other states like California have laws addressing minors in content creation, but Minnesota’s is the first to outright ban monetized appearances by children under 14.

State Senator Erin Maye Quade, who authored the legislation, says the law doesn’t ban parents from sharing moments of their kids online—only from profiting extensively from it.

“It doesn’t mean people can’t use their kids in non-monetized content,” she said. “It just means a kid’s whole life can’t be working for any industry, including this one.”

Greer says she understands the purpose behind the law and will comply. “There is a chance that changes our income. I don’t think it will be severe, but it will affect,” she said.

Under the law, once minors featured in monetized content turn 18, they have the right to request the videos be taken down. Any revenue from those videos must be placed in a trust account for access once they reach adulthood.

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