Demi Lovato joins Gavin Newsom in signing new laws to safeguard young influencers from financial exploitation, ensuring fair compensation for their work on social media platforms.
Last Thursday, September 26, Governor Gavin Newsom signed two new laws aimed at protecting minors featured in online content and preventing financial abuse. This legislation has been strongly supported by former child star, singer, and activist Demi Lovato.
What are the two new influencer laws backed by Demi Lovato?
The first law, SB 764 (Padilla), establishes legal and financial protections for minors who participate in monetized online content, such as “kid vloggers”. It requires parents or guardians to set aside a portion of the earnings from these minors in trust accounts to ensure their future financial security.
The second, AB 1880 (Alanis), expands the existing Coogan Law—which protects child actors—to include minors working as content creators on online platforms like YouTube. This law mandates that employers of these young creators deposit at least 15% of their gross earnings into trust accounts until the minors reach adulthood.
Governor Gavin Newsom stated, “Much has changed since the early days of Hollywood, but in California, we remain committed to protecting children from exploitation. Today, with these two new laws, we are putting an end to the financial exploitation of child influencers on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.“
Demi Lovato also expressed her support, saying, “To build a better future for the next generation of child stars, we need to implement protections for minors working in the digital space. I am grateful to Governor Newsom for updating the Coogan Law to ensure children on social media receive fair compensation and have control over their image when they come of age.”
These laws are part of a broader effort by the Newsom administration to shield minors from the risks associated with social media and smartphones. Recently, Newsom signed SB 976, which prohibits platforms from sending addictive notifications to minors without parental consent, and AB 3216, which requires schools to limit or ban smartphone use by 2026.
