TLC really ended up exploiting reality families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree these parents exploited their kids. We see the same thing happening on social media. Legislation should be passed at the federal level so a percentage of the earnings has to go in trust for the kids.

Where on social media is this happening?

The Busby girls from "Outdaughtered" are one example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree these parents exploited their kids. We see the same thing happening on social media. Legislation should be passed at the federal level so a percentage of the earnings has to go in trust for the kids.

Where on social media is this happening?

YouTube, TikTok, Instagram….

Parents can post anything they want about their kids and make money, gain fame, etc.

In one breath, people want legislation to step in. And the next breath people say that public schools and government shouldn’t have a say and that parents should be able to decide what is best for their own kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I watched a lot of reality TV and saw almost all the episodes of the shows with the Gosselin, Duggar, and Roloff (Little People, Big World) families. Now I feel awful having watching the shows with what has come to light:

It appears the Gosselin children have very little money after making over hundreds of millions of dollars for TLC. They were allowed to put in permanent lightening and cameras in the house, film the kids in intimate situations such as when they were potty training, the crew had unsupervised access to children all over the house including basements and tucked aways spaces, and it appears they didn't set up funding for the children for their future. Colin claims part of the reason he was sent away was he no longer wanted to film so was sullen and silent during interviews and filming.

The Duggar children never got paid for filming, Josh's sexual abuse was downplayed, etc.

The youngest Roloff child claims he was groomed was sexually abused on the set by a Little People, Big World producer.

So are you accepting responsibility for being the audience that demanded this entertainment? This is on you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree these parents exploited their kids. We see the same thing happening on social media. Legislation should be passed at the federal level so a percentage of the earnings has to go in trust for the kids.

That is ridiculous. Government shouldn’t be involved in mandating things like that.

Unions could though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree these parents exploited their kids. We see the same thing happening on social media. Legislation should be passed at the federal level so a percentage of the earnings has to go in trust for the kids.

That is ridiculous. Government shouldn’t be involved in mandating things like that.

Unions could though.

Government absolutely should be protecting children from abusive thieving parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree these parents exploited their kids. We see the same thing happening on social media. Legislation should be passed at the federal level so a percentage of the earnings has to go in trust for the kids.

That is ridiculous. Government shouldn’t be involved in mandating things like that.

Unions could though.

These children are working and not getting paid. I have a problem with that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dysfunctional families and the breakdown of a nuclear family happens all the time all across America (and worldwide).
It has nothing to do with reality tv ( and your sample size of 3 shows).

This comment has only the barest tangential relation to this thread.

[Anonymous]

Ummm, what a surprise! These parents were selfish and sought fame and fortune at the expense of their children. It was their job to set aside money for their kids. They chose not to. It’s their fault for not caring about their kids.

[Anonymous]

There are rules in place to protect children who work in the entertainment industry- Coogan laws that mandate 15% of their earnings go into trust (that can’t be withdrawn by parents), required work permits and limits on the amount of time a child can work. My kids have worked in professional theater and television and we all have to follow a set of very strict rules.
I assume that because this is “reality” tv there were workarounds for the rules and the money earned by the kids wasn’t actually considered their money. It’s absolutely disgusting that these kids were exploited and didn’t have anyone to protect their interest, and especially that it was their parents who were the main exploiters.

[Anonymous]

Isn’t legislation like Coogan Laws state specific? There should be something similar at the federal level and it needs to be broadened to cover reality tv and social media platforms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t legislation like Coogan Laws state specific? There should be something similar at the federal level and it needs to be broadened to cover reality tv and social media platforms.

There should be. Coogan laws (or equivalent) are in New York, Louisiana, Kansas, Nevada, Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and New Mexico. Didn’t the Gosselins live in PA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t legislation like Coogan Laws state specific? There should be something similar at the federal level and it needs to be broadened to cover reality tv and social media platforms.

There should be. Coogan laws (or equivalent) are in New York, Louisiana, Kansas, Nevada, Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and New Mexico. Didn’t the Gosselins live in PA.

I think they got around Coogan laws because it was reality tv.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are rules in place to protect children who work in the entertainment industry- Coogan laws that mandate 15% of their earnings go into trust (that can’t be withdrawn by parents), required work permits and limits on the amount of time a child can work. My kids have worked in professional theater and television and we all have to follow a set of very strict rules.
I assume that because this is “reality” tv there were workarounds for the rules and the money earned by the kids wasn’t actually considered their money. It’s absolutely disgusting that these kids were exploited and didn’t have anyone to protect their interest, and especially that it was their parents who were the main exploiters.

This percentage is so low. I understand that if the family is lower income they may need to use some of the earnings for food and utilities and such. But is it required to account for all the money to be used for the child / household? Or can the parents just keep 85% of the child's earnings and blow it on whatever they want as long as they put 15% into an account? That seems so unfair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t legislation like Coogan Laws state specific? There should be something similar at the federal level and it needs to be broadened to cover reality tv and social media platforms.

There should be. Coogan laws (or equivalent) are in New York, Louisiana, Kansas, Nevada, Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and New Mexico. Didn’t the Gosselins live in PA.

I think they got around Coogan laws because it was reality tv.

That’s probably it. Also dirty secret of the entertainment industry: the working conditions for kids working on network shows or Broadway/live theater/dance are far and away better than the working conditions for kids working on “kids networks” like Disney. The pay is better on the networks too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t legislation like Coogan Laws state specific? There should be something similar at the federal level and it needs to be broadened to cover reality tv and social media platforms.

There should be. Coogan laws (or equivalent) are in New York, Louisiana, Kansas, Nevada, Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and New Mexico. Didn’t the Gosselins live in PA.

I think they got around Coogan laws because it was reality tv.

That’s probably it. Also dirty secret of the entertainment industry: the working conditions for kids working on network shows or Broadway/live theater/dance are far and away better than the working conditions for kids working on “kids networks” like Disney. The pay is better on the networks too.

Why are the working conditions better in theater? Is it a NY vs CA state law issue?