Underage YouTube Stars Could Get Labor Protections in California

California legislators are proposing to extend financial protections to minors earning money as influencers on social media, in an update to the state’s longstanding law on child actors.

The rise of “kidfluencers,” who are gaining substantial and sometimes lucrative followings on websites like YouTube, has prompted growing concerns that minors who are emerging as celebrities in this new corner of the entertainment industry are vulnerable to financial exploitation.

The push comes after Illinois lawmakers approved the nation’s first financial protections for child influencers last year and as legislatures in several states consider similar measures.

The California Senate could vote as ...