The French YouTube channels Studio Bubble Tea and Démo Toys have millions of subscribers.
Their particularity: they feature children.
At the rate of several videos per week, Kalys, Athéna, Amantine and Fantin test toys and stage their lives, in front of a camera held by their parents.
An activity that is sometimes substantial, but which until now was not subject to any legal framework.
This is now the case, since the adoption on Tuesday of a LREM bill filed in February, which regulates the activity of these young influencers.
From now on, their parents will have to apply for a prefectural authorization if the quantity of content produced or the income they derive from it exceeds a certain threshold, which will be set later.
Their working hours will be regulated, and the money they receive will be blocked in an account held by the deposit fund until their majority or their emancipation.
YouTuber children will also benefit from a right to be forgotten, and will therefore be able to ask platforms to erase the content in which they appear.
These will have to inform users about these new rules and report abuses.
On the other hand, advertisers who wish to place their products in these videos watched by thousands of children will be very responsible.
They will thus be liable to a fine of 3,750 euros if they work with channels that violate these new rules.
Legal gap filled
"
There was a legal vacuum
," explains the author of this law, LREM deputy Bruno Studer
.
Child labor is prohibited in France unless there is an exemption, including on the internet
. ”
The latter does not come forward to quantify the phenomenon of Youtuber children, nor the abuses that result from it.
“For
several years now, associations for the defense of children's rights have sounded the alarm
,” he explains.
One of the objectives of this law is precisely to have a better knowledge of this phenomenon
. ”
But this text could have gone further, believes LFI MP Muriel Ressiguier.
She regrets that the measures taken are "not restrictive enough for the platforms".
Indeed, the latter will not be criminally responsible for the abuses covered by this new law.
“
We could have established penalties for non-compliance with certain situations by the platforms
, admits Bruno Studer.
But the latter believes that the European legal framework is too restrictive for that.
"
It was better to make a law less ambitious, but effective
".
Video hosts will however be placed under the supervision of the Superior Audiovisual Council, which will ensure compliance with these new rules.