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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0021*
HOUSE BILL 21
C2 6lr0955
HB 1453/25 – ECM (PRE–FILED)
By: Delegate Allen
Requested: September 24, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Economic Matters
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Social Media Platforms – Vloggers and Video Content Featuring Minors 2
(Child Influencers Protection Act) 3
FOR the purpose of requiring a vlogger who creates video content that is posted on a social 4
media platform and features a certain child to compensate the child under certain 5
circumstances; establishing requirements on social media platforms relating to 6
deleting video content featuring children; applying certain requirements related to 7
the labor of minors to children compensated by vloggers; and generally relating to 8
minors featured in social media content. 9
BY adding to 10
Article – Business Regulation 11
Section 19–1001 through 19–1004 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 10. Social 12
Media Vloggers” 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 15
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 16
Article – Labor and Employment 17
Section 3–203(4) 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2025 Replacement Volume) 20
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 21
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 22
Article – Business Regulation 23
SUBTITLE 10. SOCIAL MEDIA VLOGGERS. 24
2 HOUSE BILL 21
19–1001. 1
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 2
INDICATED. 3
(B) “CHILD” MEANS, WITH RESPECT TO A VLOGGER: 4
(1) A MINOR FOR WHOM THE VLOGGER IS A PARENT OR GUARDIAN; OR 5
(2) IF THE VLOGGER IS A BUSINESS ENTITY, A MINOR WHOSE PARENT 6
OR LEGAL GUARDIAN HAS AN INTEREST IN THE BUSINESS ENTITY. 7
(C) “FEATURE” MEANS TO USE THE LIKENESS OR NAME OF AN INDIVIDUAL 8
OR TO CAUSE AN INDIVIDUAL TO BE THE SUBJECT OF A NARRATIVE. 9
(D) “VLOGGER” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL OR A BUSINESS ENTITY THAT 10
CREATES VIDEO CONTENT TO BE POSTED ON A SO CIAL MEDIA PLATFORM IN 11
EXCHANGE FOR COMPENSATION. 12
19–1002. 13
A VLOGGER THAT FEATURE S A CHILD IN THE VLO GGER’S VIDEO CONTENT 14
SHALL COMPENSATE THE CHILD IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 19–1003 OF THIS SUBTITLE 15
IF AT ANY TIME WITHIN THE PREVIOUS 12–MONTH PERIOD: 16
(1) (I) THE VLOGGER QUALIFIE D FOR COMPENSATION F ROM A 17
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM BASED ON THE NUMBER OF VIEWS ANY OF THE VLOGGER’S 18
VIDEO CONTENT RECEIVED; OR 19
(II) THE VLOGGER ACTUALLY RECEIVED COMPENSATION OF AT 20
LEAST 10 CENTS PER VIEW FOR ANY OF THE VLOGGER’S VIDEO CONTENT; AND 21
(2) THE CHILD WAS FEATUR ED FOR AT LEAST 30% OF THE TOTAL 22
DURATION OF ALL CONTENT POSTED WITHIN ANY 30–DAY PERIOD. 23
19–1003. 24
A VLOGGER REQUIRED TO COMPENSATE ONE OR MO RE CHILDREN UNDER § 25
19–1002 OF THIS SUBTITLE SHA LL PAY INTO SEPARATE TRUSTS, EACH TRUST FOR 26
THE BENEFIT OF A SINGLE CHILD ON ATTAINING THE AGE OF 18 YEARS, AS FOLLOWS: 27
HOUSE BILL 21 3
(1) IF THE VLOGGER IS REQUIRED TO COMPENSATE ONE CHILD, THE 1
PERCENTAGE OF GROSS EARNINGS ATTRIBUTABL E TO CONT ENT IN WHICH THE 2
CHILD WAS FEATURED SHALL BE PAID INTO THE TRUST FOR THE CHILD; AND 3
(2) IF THE VLOGGER IS REQUIRED TO COMPENSATE MORE THAN ONE 4
CHILD, THE PERCENTAGE OF GR OSS EARNINGS ATTRIBU TABLE TO CONTENT IN 5
WHICH AT LEAST ONE O F THOSE CHILDREN WAS FEATURED SHALL BE DI VIDED 6
EQUALLY AMONG THE CH ILDREN AND PAID INTO THE SEPARATE TRUST F OR EACH 7
CHILD. 8
19–1004. 9
(A) AN ADULT WHO WAS FEATURED IN VIDEO CONTENT OF A VLOGGER AS A 10
CHILD ON OR AFTER OCTOBER 1, 2026, MAY REQUEST THE PERMANENT DELETION 11
OF THE CONTENT. 12
(B) A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFOR M THAT RECEIVES A DE LETION REQUEST 13
UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION SHALL TAKE ALL REASONABLE STEPS TO 14
PERMANENTLY DELETE ALL CONTENT FOR WHICH THE REQUEST WAS MADE. 15
(C) A CONTRACT BETWEEN A V LOGGER AND A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM 16
FOR THE CREATION OF VIDEO CONTENT THAT W OULD REASONABLY BE 17
ANTICIPATED TO FEATURE A CHILD SHALL INCLUDE NOTIFICATION TO THE SOCIAL 18
MEDIA PLATFORM OF THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD UNDER THIS SECTION. 19
Article – Labor and Employment 20
3–203. 21
This subtitle does not apply to an activity that a minor performs if the activity: 22
(4) is limited to: 23
(i) farm work that is performed on a farm; 24
(ii) domestic work that is performed in or about a home; 25
(iii) work that is performed in a business t hat a parent of the minor 26
or a person standing in place of the parent owns or operates , OTHER THAN WORK 27
PERFORMED BY A MINOR WHO IS REQUIRED TO BE CO MPENSATED BY A VLOGG ER 28
UNDER TITLE 19, SUBTITLE 10 OF THE BUSINESS REGULATION ARTICLE; 29
(iv) caddying on a golf course; 30
(v) instructing on an instructional sailboat; 31
4 HOUSE BILL 21
(vi) delivery of newspapers to consumers; 1
(vii) making an evergreen wreath in or about a home; 2
(viii) work performed as a counselor, assistant counselor, or instructor 3
in a youth camp certified under the Maryland Youth Camp Act; or 4
(ix) work that is performed as an unpaid volunteer in a charitable or 5
nonprofit organization, if: 6
1. a parent of the minor or a person standing in the place of 7
the parent consents in writing; and 8
2. for hazardous work in a volunteer fire department or 9
company or volunteer rescue squad, the minor: 10
A. is at least 16 years old; and 11
B. has completed or is taking a course of study about 12
firefighting or rescue. 13
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FU RTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 14
October 1, 2026. 15