Why We Launched the Responsible Kidfluence Code

As influencer marketing becomes a dominant force in digital culture, children are increasingly featured in monetised content. Yet in the UK, there are still no laws to protect their earnings, privacy or wellbeing. At Pepper Agency, we believe it’s time to change that.

That’s why we’ve launched the Responsible Kidfluence Code — a cross-sector framework designed to help parents, creators, brands and agencies make ethical, informed decisions when children appear in social media content.

Explore the Kidfluence Code now

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The Problem: No Rules, Real Risks

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Recent documentaries like Netflix’s Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing and Disney+’s Devil in the Family have shone a harsh light on the hidden harms behind family content creation.

Key findings from our 2025 study (with InfluencerMarketingResearch.com) include:

• 62% of parent influencers do not involve children in filming decisions
• Only 33% monitor emotional or physical wellbeing during shoots
• 56% of brands have no formal child protection guidelines

Meanwhile, “influencer” ranks among the top 10 dream jobs for UK children aged 6–17, according to a 2024 Nimbl survey. Kids are not just watching social media, they’re starring in it.

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What Is the Kidfluence Code?

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The Responsible Kidfluence Code is the UK’s first ethical standard for children in influencer marketing. It is built around four core pillars:

1. Mental & Physical Wellbeing
2. Privacy Protection
3. Financial Fairness
4. Online Safety

Unlike traditional regulation, the Code is:

• Voluntary and flexible
• Built with input from creators, parents and policymakers
• Designed to support rather than shame content creators
• A living resource that evolves with the industry

“This isn’t about banning children from social media. It’s about building something better, together,” says Beckii Flint, Co-Founder of Pepper Agency and a former child influencer herself.

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Why This Matters for the Creator Economy

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The global creator economy is now worth over $250 billion, and children are often central to family content. In many cases, a child’s likeness funds an entire household. But unlike child actors, there are no legal safeguards in place.

In the US, the Coogan Law requires 15% of child performers' income to be placed in trust. France and Illinois have introduced similar protections for child influencers.

The UK? Still unregulated.

The Kidfluence Code fills that gap until law catches up.

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Designed with Families and Brands in Mind

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At its heart, the Code is by parents, for parents. It includes:

• Clear age-appropriate consent guidance
• Tools for setting healthy boundaries
• Checklists for wellbeing during filming
• Financial guidance on income and trust accounts
• Best practices for agencies and brands

Whether you're a parenting influencer, agency strategist or brand partner, the Code gives you practical steps to put children’s long-term interests first.

And for brands, we’ve built a dedicated self-assessment tool to help you understand your current practices and opportunities for improvement.

Assess your brand’s standing against the framework:
https://kidfluencecode-brands.scoreapp.com

This quick, free tool provides instant feedback and guidance on how aligned your organisation is with the Kidfluence Code and where you can go further to protect young talent in your campaigns.

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Launch Event: Industry Roundtable on 16 July

To mark the launch, Pepper Agency will host an invite-only industry event in London.

Event: The Responsible Kidfluence Code: Building a Framework for Ethical Family Content
Date: Wednesday 16 July 2025
Location: Paddington, London
Time: Morning panel and networking
RSVP to the event: https://lu.ma/l8ruvv8u

‍Confirmed Speakers:

• Gregor Poynton MP, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Children’s Online Safety
• Jemma Foster, Head of Brand at The Week Junior
• Matthew & Ryan, content creators and first-time adoptive parents
• Beckii Flint, Co-founder of Pepper Agency

How You Can Get Involved

• Visit the Code: www.kidfluencecode.com
• Take the brand self-assessment: kidfluencecode-brands.scoreapp.com
• Join the discussion on social: #KidfluenceCode