Clicks and Careers: Social Media Ban to Test Kidfluencer Dreams

In this photo illustration, social media networking apps are displayed on a phone screen with the Australian flag displayed in the background in Sydney, Australia on Dec. 7, 2025. Illustration by George Chan/Getty ImagesPopular YouTubers Like Nastya and Rebecca Zamolo are not the real-life friends of seven-year-old Zunaira (pseudonym) in Canberra, but online they feel close enough.After school Zunaira she spends hours watching and rehearsing their videos, dreaming of being a creator herself.“When I’m older, I’ll have millions of followers like Nastya,” she tells her parents.Eleven-year-old Ben has the same ambitions, but in gaming. He speaks about “GamingWithKev” and “Ryan” the way previous generations talked about sports stars.Like Nastya is one of the world’s biggest child YouTubers, making songs, educational clips, toy unboxings and role-play content for more than 127 million subscribers.Rebecca Zamolo is known for challenge videos, DIY projects, and her “Game Master” storyline, while “Ryan’s World” produces toy and science videos for more than 40 million followers.Forbes has previously listed Ryan, Zamolo, and Nastya among the highest-paid young creators, while GamingWithKev has built a major kids-gaming audience through gameplay and reaction videos.