Tiny Entrepreneurs: Children, Their Entry into a Changing Labor Market, and Blurring the Lines Between Work and Play

Abstract

In Tiny Entrepreneurs: Children, Their Entry into a Changing Labor Market, and Blurring the Lines Between Work and Play, the study included mixed methods of qualitative and quantitative observation of children entrepreneurs on YouTube. A combination of video analysis and interview methods were used although the study relied more heavily on video data analysis considering the scarcity of the participants to be interviewed. The hypothesis of a static pool of entrepreneurs, skills gained by the children, and possible labor exploitation within the boundaries of work and play was somewhat refuted by the data and interview contained below. However, some interesting findings were revealed. Contained within the dynamics of work and play, parents have found a way to place more of the onus of commercialization among themselves while keeping the children a bit more distanced from passive product placement. Furthermore, the findings include a marked upward mobility and a shift in familial and gender dynamics when it comes to their specific interactions on YouTube. While there is still much to be discovered about this interesting phenomenon, this study has shed light on some questions to consider.