“I was a bad girl. I did some bad things.” These lyrics reflect the reality of life as a child star. If you spend time on Instagram, TikTok, or any other social media platform chances are you’ve heard these lyrics. These are the first lines of Jojo Siwa’s new song Karma, which has generated many opinions on the former child star. Many people claim that she was never a bad girl, but most people haven’t seen what her life was like behind the scenes. People only judge her personality that she presents to the public. Jojo Siwa isn’t the only former child star to go viral recently. The documentary “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV ” has gained  traction after revealing what life was really like for children working on Nickelodeon. Child labor laws are heavily enforced for jobs such as food service, internships, etc. but issues tend to be swept under the rug for child stars. We need to reevaluate the effectiveness of the laws and regulations in place to avoid future child abuse in the entertainment industry. 

Ever since Jojo Siwa’s new song was released, I have seen her face everywhere on Instagram. From her videos promoting her own song, to people making comments on her transformation. This traction that she generated on social media has caused things from her childhood to resurface, such as the fact that her mother began bleaching her hair at the age of two. 

Jojo grew up in the entertainment industry; however, her first major role was when she joined the show Dance Moms in its fifth season. The show Dance Moms has raised much criticism as a result of Abby Lee Miller’s volatility toward the girls. Jojo discusses how she grew up learning that this kind of hostile environment was normal in hollywood. 

Jojo’s childhood experiences with this entertainment industry have caused her to feel the need to reinvent herself with the new song and her new look. These transformations were likely caused by Jojo trying to figure out who she really is, after most of her life being broadcasted to the world. 

On March 17, 2024 the documentary “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV”  was released detailing the abuse that the child stars working with Dan Schneider experienced. Actors reported alleged inappropriate behavior by Schneider, which they described as deeply troubling and indicative of broader issues in the industry. I remember constantly seeing posts about Nickelodeon for months after this documentary was released, people looking back at their favorite childhood shows and pointing out the red flags in the shows that Schneider was involved in. 

While there were many people who participated in this documentary, many actors who didn’t participate have made statements in support of the actors that have come forward. On the documentary Quiet on Set, actors reported Schnieder giving massages, counting literal gold coins in front of people living paycheck to paycheck, sexual abuse, and more. These statements reflect the broader issues facing child stars due to the lack of oversight and protections.

Both Jojo Siwa’s childhood and the childhoods of those involved in the documentary were taken from them because of the entertainment industry. Jojo shouldn’t have been getting her hair bleached as a toddler. If that was happening to a child who wasn’t in the entertainment industry, the parents would likely be accused of child abuse. The Nickelodeon stars' childhood experiences show how few protections there are for children in the entertainment industry. We need to make sure that children who have their whole lives broadcasted to the general public are able to receive some level of privacy, as well as better supervision. 

The laws surrounding child labor need to change to better include children working in the entertainment industry to prevent the level of abuse that many child stars experienced. These laws need to protect the basic human rights of these children, including their emotional wellbeing. Hollywood might be harsh, but screaming at a nine year old is the wrong way to communicate that. Legislations requiring frequent audits of productions that include children need to be passed as well as enforced. It is also necessary that we teach these kids how to advocate for themselves, especially because the world tends to forget that these actors are children. Children need to be able to be children, even if they are working in entertainment.