A Scroll Through Dear Hannah Prep’s TikTok

and what it reveals about our selective outrage at the use of children influencers

by Courtland Campo

Dear Hannah Prep is a Dallas-based boutique specializing in clothes that is best described as a misrepresentation of prep fashion, or a reinvention of 2013 neon-hued clothes meets Gen-Z sorority girls with bright crop tops, ruffle skirts, and trucker hats.

The Prep Girls are a group of tween-aged ambassadors who serve as talent in all of the Dear Hannah Prep TikTok content. The creator of the program, an adult woman named Gabriela Vascimini, conveniently stays behind the camera. 

I have sisters; I know a group of girls trying on fun clothes and making skits is nothing new. Except, it is usually kept on a camcorder (or, in my little sister's case, a cracked iPod touch) at a sleepover rather than a TikTok page with 326K followers.

Where Dear Hannah Prep has found controversy is in its vague child labor practices. TikTok users (who have aged out of the shop's target audience) have become critical of the boutique's use of girls in their social media marketing. Those sounding the alarm have cited two main issues: compensation and privacy. Dear Hannah Prep released a statement claiming the Prep Girls are equally compensated in "a variety of ways." Come to find out, the girls are paid in gift cards and store discounts. Others worry the attention from these videos may not always be positive, fearing bullies now and in the future.

It's no secret we have a complicated relationship with the internet and our children's presence on it. A baffling 92% of toddlers under the age of 2 already have a digital footprint. It started with "mommy blogging," which became "sharenting," and now, you don't even need to be a guardian to profit off of the next "kidfluencer." According to one study, child influencers earn millions annually, with the most successful earning close to $30 million.

Kids have been entertaining us with their antics for decades. Bill Cosby's show from the 90s, Kids Say the Darndest Things, gave us the blueprint for creating viral content with children. Unlike child actors protected by the Coogan Law, which requires employers to set aside 15% percent of earnings for the child star and limits the number of hours children can work, children on social media have no protections. Some states, like New York, aim to change that, and public discourse is evolving. Empowered by the #FreeBritney movement and the viral success of Jennette McCurdy's memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died, audiences have become more skeptical of children, specifically young girls, in traditional entertainment or branded content. 

Nonetheless, I don't see us raising the same red flags when it comes to content posted by teachers on TikTok or internet personalities like @recess_therapy, who gave us Corn Kid. Maybe Dear Hannah Prep attracts greater outrage because it uses young girls to push merchandise. Perhaps, we're more comfortable when kids are entertaining us than when they're selling something. 

Dear Hannah Prep’s content has captivated an unintended audience and the brand has been marked by negative publicity. Although many people’s skepticism is based on real examples of exploitation, the girls (and their parents/guardians) are seemingly content with the deal they have struck. If foul play is at work, I guess we’ll have to wait for the ‘Escaping Prep’ documentary.