
Child Influencers
How Children Become Entangled with Social Media Fame
Crystal Abidin(Author)
Polity Press
1st Edition
Will be published approx. on 21. November 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
208 pages
978-1-5095-6803-1 (ISBN)
Description
Social media is proliferating with influencers, but despite their prevalence and the extensive body of scholarship, there is no comprehensive book that frames the historical and contemporary phenomenon of child influencers.
Drawing on original empirical ethnographic fieldwork and case studies from Asia Pacific and beyond, and spanning various digital platforms, this book looks at the emergence of child influencers and online fame more generally. Crystal Abidin, a pioneering scholar in this field, discusses key historical milestones, scandals, and the social and cultural contexts that have led to ordinary children becoming famous online, and how changing public discourse has resulted in important pivots in the ways we perceive them. The book addresses and challenges some of the moral panics against the visibility of children on social media and gives voice and agency to the children, their parents and guardians, and the agents and managers who have been striving to improve the child influencer market through their everyday practices and community norms.
Child Influencers is illuminating reading for anyone who wants to understand the phenomena of children and online fame, and why they have proliferated so quickly in society.
Drawing on original empirical ethnographic fieldwork and case studies from Asia Pacific and beyond, and spanning various digital platforms, this book looks at the emergence of child influencers and online fame more generally. Crystal Abidin, a pioneering scholar in this field, discusses key historical milestones, scandals, and the social and cultural contexts that have led to ordinary children becoming famous online, and how changing public discourse has resulted in important pivots in the ways we perceive them. The book addresses and challenges some of the moral panics against the visibility of children on social media and gives voice and agency to the children, their parents and guardians, and the agents and managers who have been striving to improve the child influencer market through their everyday practices and community norms.
Child Influencers is illuminating reading for anyone who wants to understand the phenomena of children and online fame, and why they have proliferated so quickly in society.
Reviews / Votes
"With unmatched expertise and passion, Abidin takes the reader on a fascinating, almost two decades-long anthropological journey to show how children have become internet famous. Simply a must-read!"Andra Siibak, University of Tartu
"In the first comprehensive book on child influencers, Crystal Abidin masterfully weaves together digital ethnography and case studies to understand the blurring boundaries between childhood, digital media, and the rise of influencer culture. Full of incisive analysis, this groundbreaking book is an important contribution to communication studies, sociology, anthropology, and beyond."
Benjamin Burroughs, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Publishing group
John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 215 mm
Width: 137 mm
Thickness: 16 mm
Weight
266 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5095-6803-1 (9781509568031)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
02/2026
1st Edition
Wiley
€12.99
Available for download

E-Book
01/2026
1st Edition
Wiley
€12.99
Available for download

Book
approx. 11/2025
1st Edition
Polity Press
€56.00
Not yet published
Person
Crystal Abidin is Professor of Internet Studies at Curtin University.
Content
Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1: Mummy Bloggers
Chapter 2: Micro-microcelebrity
Chapter 3: Family Influencers
Chapter 4: Child Influencers
Chapter 5: KidTok
Chapter 6: Meme Celebrities
Chapter 7: Viral Stars
Chapter 8: Variety Stars
Chapter 9: Factories
Chapter 10: Ground Zero
Conclusion
References
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1: Mummy Bloggers
Chapter 2: Micro-microcelebrity
Chapter 3: Family Influencers
Chapter 4: Child Influencers
Chapter 5: KidTok
Chapter 6: Meme Celebrities
Chapter 7: Viral Stars
Chapter 8: Variety Stars
Chapter 9: Factories
Chapter 10: Ground Zero
Conclusion
References