What bills did Gavin Newsom introduce to protect minor content creators online? Demi Lovato joins the California Governor as he signs legislation

Former Disney star Demi Lovato joined California governor Gavin Newsom as he recently signed two pieces of legislation protecting child content creators from financial abuse. As per a press release on Newsom's website on Thursday, September 26, 2024, these two bills are Senator Steve Padilla's SB 764 and Assembly member Juan Alanis' AB 1880.

Padilla's bill mandates that parents or guardians of child vloggers must set aside a percentage of their (children's) earnings in trust accounts. On the other hand, Juan Alanis' AB 1880 expands on the existing Coogan Law (or the California Child Actor's Bill) "to include minors who are employed as content creators on online platforms, such as YouTube."

The Coogan law is a statutory scheme that ensures employers of child actors or performers "place at least 15% of their gross earnings in trust till they reach adulthood."

The release included a statement by Demi Lovato expressing her gratitude to Governor Newsom for the move.

"This update to the Coogan Law that will ensure children featured on social media are granted agency when they come of age and are properly compensated for the use of their name and likeness," she said.

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Demi Lovato directed the documentary Child Star, which partly focuses on the financial exploitation of child actors

Elaborating on the need for the two bills, Governor Gavin Newsom said in his discussion with Demi Lovato that the entertainment industry has evolved since the establishment of Coogan Law. He added that with "online, social media, (and) content creators, there is this glaring gap," but the new laws would close that "loophole."

Demi Lovato called them "essentially the Coogan Law for the digital age." The Camp Rock actress recently advocated for the financial security of child actors and performers in her directorial debut, Child Star. The documentary, which also stars Lovato, is centered around the highs and lows of fame at a young age.

A part of the film focuses on the financial exploitation of child actors. To delve more into this aspect, she spoke to youth activist Chris McCarty of Quit Clicking Kids. The organization advocates for kids to receive fair compensation and legal protection when featured in the parents' online content.

While talking to CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister earlier this month, Demi Lovato remarked on how the entertainment industry is vastly different from when she was a child actor.

"It's kind of the wild, wild west in the digital age," she quipped.

She hoped to bring the issue to Capitol Hill one day. Lovato was a child actor who began her career in the entertainment industry in the 1990s. She was first cast on Barney and Friends before appearing on Disney Channel movies and shows, catapulting her into a teenage icon. She has previously spoken about her substance abuse and mental struggles due to fame.

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The two legislations come a year after Illinois passed a bill that mandates influencers who incorporate children under 16 in their content to save a percentage of the income generated from the content into a trust.

Per CNN, SAG-AFTRA Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, in a statement, expressed his gratitude for the laws on behalf of the organization, asserting the need to protect child performers regardless of medium.

Child Star is currently streaming on Hulu.