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BETWEEN CHILDHOOD INNOCENCE AND DIGITAL INDUSTRY: RETHINKING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF KIDFLUENCERS

Cilt: 14 Sayı: 1 30 Haziran 2026
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BETWEEN CHILDHOOD INNOCENCE AND DIGITAL INDUSTRY: RETHINKING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF KIDFLUENCERS

Öz

Kidfluencing epitomizes an emergent form of digital labor wherein children's mediated visibility is systematically commodified within platform economies. Situated at the intersection of media capitalism, invisible digital labor, and children's rights, this study offers a critical inquiry into the commercialization of child personas through a content-analytical examination of the Instagram profiles of child actors featured in Turkish television series as of 2025. Utilizing a mixed-methods design, the study integrates quantitative indicators—such as follower metrics, post frequency, and the prevalence and sectoral distribution of sponsored content—with qualitative interpretive insights. Data were extracted exclusively from publicly accessible Instagram accounts of 25 child actors; given the non-involvement of human subjects, ethical board approval was not required. The analysis reveals that these children function not merely as performers within scripted narratives but as micro-brands whose identities are continuously curated and monetized across digital platforms. Their social media engagement operates as an extension of affective and immaterial labor, embedded within algorithmically driven economies of attention. By foregrounding the structural entanglements between childhood, labor, and commodification in the digital age, this study underscores the urgent need for robust regulatory frameworks addressing children’s digital rights, platform accountability, and media governance.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Kaynakça

  1. Alfiyah, A. B., Wiranti, Abrar, A. N., Annisa, A. N., Parawansa, S. S. S. & Iskandar, I. (2025). Paradox of legal protection for kid influencers and artists in Indonesia: Comparative study of US and France. International Journal of Law Recontruction, 9(1), 121-140. https://dx.doi.org/10.26532/ijlr.v9i1.44213
  2. Alrumaidhi, K. & Alomran, M. A. (2024). The impact of “kidfluencers” on the cultural identity of Kuwaiti middle school students: A parental perspective. Middle School Journal, 55(5), 10-26. https://doi.org/10.1080/00940771.2024.2403939
  3. Anastacio-Coello, L. & Atarama-Rojas, T. (2025). What Peruvian kidfluencers tell us on social media: An analysis of their communicative approach on Instagram and TikTok. In: Ibáñez, D.B., Gallardo-Echenique, E., Siringoringo, H., Diez, N.L. (eds) Communication and Applied Technologies. ICOMTA 2024. Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, vol 427. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-0426-5_43
  4. Astuti, I. D. (2022a). Fenomena kidfluencer dalam beretika media sosial. Martabat: Jurnal Perempuan dan Anak, 6(2), 214-241. https://doi.org/10.21274/martabat.2022.6.2.214-241
  5. Astuti, I. D. (2022b). Reality and hyperreality behind the kidfluencer phenomenon. Ultimacomm, 14(2), 251-266. https://doi.org/10.31937/ultimacomm.v14i2.2743
  6. Bakioğlu, A. (2024). Digital capitalism and child labor exploitation on YouTube. Sociology Lens, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1111/johs.12456
  7. Bellocchio, A. K. (2025). “Cry Harder!”: How parents traffic their children through forced child begging and child labor. Sociology and Criminology Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/sociuht/22
  8. Biggeman, K. (2025). The hidden depravities of kidfluencing: A children’s rights issue. Canadian Journal of Family and Youth, 17 (2), 154-161. https://doi.org/10.29173/cjfy30142

Ayrıntılar

Birincil Dil

İngilizce

Konular

Yönetim Bilişim Sistemleri

Bölüm

Araştırma Makalesi

Yayımlanma Tarihi

30 Haziran 2026

Gönderilme Tarihi

29 Temmuz 2025

Kabul Tarihi

30 Mart 2026

Yayımlandığı Sayı

Yıl 2026 Cilt: 14 Sayı: 1

Kaynak Göster

APA
Dursun, F. (2026). BETWEEN CHILDHOOD INNOCENCE AND DIGITAL INDUSTRY: RETHINKING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF KIDFLUENCERS. Nişantaşı Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 14(1), 87-105. https://doi.org/10.52122/nisantasisbd.1753590
AMA
1.Dursun F. BETWEEN CHILDHOOD INNOCENCE AND DIGITAL INDUSTRY: RETHINKING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF KIDFLUENCERS. Nişantaşı Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi. 2026;14(1):87-105. doi:10.52122/nisantasisbd.1753590
Chicago
Dursun, Faruk. 2026. “BETWEEN CHILDHOOD INNOCENCE AND DIGITAL INDUSTRY: RETHINKING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF KIDFLUENCERS”. Nişantaşı Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi 14 (1): 87-105. https://doi.org/10.52122/nisantasisbd.1753590.
EndNote
Dursun F (01 Haziran 2026) BETWEEN CHILDHOOD INNOCENCE AND DIGITAL INDUSTRY: RETHINKING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF KIDFLUENCERS. Nişantaşı Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi 14 1 87–105.
IEEE
[1]F. Dursun, “BETWEEN CHILDHOOD INNOCENCE AND DIGITAL INDUSTRY: RETHINKING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF KIDFLUENCERS”, Nişantaşı Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, c. 14, sy 1, ss. 87–105, Haz. 2026, doi: 10.52122/nisantasisbd.1753590.
ISNAD
Dursun, Faruk. “BETWEEN CHILDHOOD INNOCENCE AND DIGITAL INDUSTRY: RETHINKING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF KIDFLUENCERS”. Nişantaşı Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi 14/1 (01 Haziran 2026): 87-105. https://doi.org/10.52122/nisantasisbd.1753590.
JAMA
1.Dursun F. BETWEEN CHILDHOOD INNOCENCE AND DIGITAL INDUSTRY: RETHINKING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF KIDFLUENCERS. Nişantaşı Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi. 2026;14:87–105.
MLA
Dursun, Faruk. “BETWEEN CHILDHOOD INNOCENCE AND DIGITAL INDUSTRY: RETHINKING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF KIDFLUENCERS”. Nişantaşı Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, c. 14, sy 1, Haziran 2026, ss. 87-105, doi:10.52122/nisantasisbd.1753590.
Vancouver
1.Faruk Dursun. BETWEEN CHILDHOOD INNOCENCE AND DIGITAL INDUSTRY: RETHINKING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF KIDFLUENCERS. Nişantaşı Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi. 01 Haziran 2026;14(1):87-105. doi:10.52122/nisantasisbd.1753590

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