the puzzling case of Dear Hannah Prep

[@jw1422]

The lore of Amanda’s manager and her forced vacation and inability to relax is so entertaining 🤣

[@panickedpoet]

Love a good B-Plot haha

[@bobkeaton3234]

I also love that she has a microphone, like in the back of her head she subconsciously knew she would need it. Lol

[@missm2925]

Kinda depressing tbh but get that bag Amanda

[@cigimon4]

if the video had lasted 5 minutes longer we would've seen the manager burst through the door to lasso her and force her to relax

[@6aith]

Is it... Swell entertainment?

[@CinnamonQuills]

"Compensated in a variety of ways" is a weasel term that almost certainly means "Compensating little girls by telling them that they'll be social media stars and get "exposure" to "build their brand" that will land them TV show and movie acting gigs down the line, and also maybe a free plain white skirt and pink top that we paid our supplier a dollar each for".

[@mandalevelsup]

Yeah these girls are getting paid in clothes that they're expected to wear all the time to promote the store anyway. Also like... Are they even old enough to have their own social media accounts? (No.)

[@pintpullinggeek]

Oh God, I hadn't even considered that the manipulators behind the camera would say "exposure" was compensation!

[@nicksurfs1]

Exactly! They're getting paid in clothes and exposure

[@psychoPilgrim36]

Yep i was thinking that if any of them have pageant type moms, they easily wouldve allowed their daughter to be part of this for free because of “exposure”

[@MargaretQ]

I do not want to blanket generalize Dallas culture but being semi familiar with pageant culture/gymnastics/cheer culture I think It rings true a lot of parents would be SO happy to have exposure and popularity for their kid and wouldn’t really care that much about things like labor laws.

[@karendover6001]

Amanda swears she's on vacation, but took her microphone just in case. 😆

[@bakedpotato1717]

Or, alternatively, Amanda frantically shopping for one on vacation 😂

[@Vagitarian01]

@@bakedpotato1717 She was on Catalina Island, no stores sell microphones there. It's possible that she borrowed one from the hotel though.

[@TheReZisTLust]

​@@Vagitarian01she clearly jumped an inhabitant and took it

[@chpalaz]

My exact thought 😅

[@t_ylr]

Maybe this is extreme I don't think you should be able to monetize children as influencers on social media. If they're acting or modeling that's one thing, but it should be regulated like it is in Hollywood.

[@simplynautica3233]

I don’t think this should be considered extreme at all!!!!! Since when are child labor laws asking for too much, it’s wild how many people feel crazy for thinking something so normal!

[@chris_troiano]

Yep. This is basically a modern equivalent of hiring children for a tv commercial.

[@Chelseabee55]

Not extreme at all. Exploiting children for profit should be illegal

[@gongalicious]

I don't even think kids should be allowed to be influencers at all. They're too young to understand all the pros and cons of being an influencer. Not to mention how dangerous it can be. We need to bring back kid specific spaces online and separate them from the same platforms adults use.

[@yoyohayli]

ANYTHING involving children NEEDS regulation. Because history and humanity has shown us every day that we cannot trust individuals to do the right thing for even their own families. Like, ever.

[@MonaY-qp8ep]

In my opinion, those pages are feeding predators. Pages that revolve around children shouldn't be tolerated. No parent has the right to sell their child's dignity.

[@Thisissssmychannel]

Yep. Parents don’t want to realize/admit this but there are actual pedophiles doing unspeakable things to photos of minors posted online.

[@FaultyWirestv]

Even if it's not feeding predators directly, it is predatory. it's indoctrination for an unhealthy relationship with social media if not directly using them for labor in many cases it seems.

[@crunchberrychaos1545]

​@@ThisissssmychannelNo, they just don't care! They want attention and clout for their kids. They don't care in what form that comes it. It's all about the numbers.

[@BradHook]

​@@ThisissssmychannelI wouldn't be shocked if these parents know their children are being sexualised and are just okay with it, sadly. There are alot of broken parents who have no business being parents in this world.

[@hofx666]

And as a parent no one online has the right to tell a parent how to raise a child. I wouldn’t allow my daughter to do something like this, but who are you to say that? What does this have to do with a child’s dignity?

[@simpleplanfan011]

This is so ridiculous. Why does some random clothing store in Texas need a theme song? I hope they’re getting paid for this.

[@brandoniswhoiam]

Exactly! Forever 21/Urban Planet, H&M, Zara, etc. don’t have theme songs!

[@LizStaples]

This seems like a weird front or something it is all hella sus someone is trying to make bank in a questionable way.

[@TheGinaChan]

@@LizStaples Yeahhh, it's definitely part of the whole 'giving capitalist machinery a personality so that you have to care about it' thing

[@TheGinaChan]

like with brand accounts on twitter making 'trendy' jokes and the like

[@LizStaples]

@@TheGinaChan if it was a “brand” like a Corp that would be gross but predictable but this is a a single store. (They might be hoping to franchise I guess but it’s still all very suspicious)

[@GalacticPossum]

I am a grown-ass adult who is CONSTANTLY getting fed minor content by the YT shorts algorithm. I do not sell things like that. The closest thing to kid content I look for is Star Wars and Stardew Valley stuff or cat videos. There is zero reason to constantly be fed it. WTF.

[@rakano3733]

And you know what's funny about that is even if you hit the don't recommend button they still give you that kinda stupid content

[@cybersucia]

Same here!!! Idk why it’s weird

[@shironerisilk]

I wonder if it has to do with their assumptions if you are a parent of not. Almost trying to ascertain if you will let your (supposed) kids use your account.

[@drunkfur]

Same, I scroll immediately every time I get recommended what is clearly just a random video posted by an actual child with little/no likes or comments. The algorithm still shows them to me daily, which makes me sick to my stomach thinking about predators being fed the same things & how easily they could exploit them 😰 I dont watch kids content, but I do watch a lot of competitive Splatoon stuff which is the only thing I could see causing my algorithm to do it?

[@brooke2539]

No Fr this!!! I get CHILDREN on my shorts feed all the time. And I block it. I still keep getting it. Like. Some not even 10. One, where are there parents? Two, WHY IS IT IN MY ALGORITHM????

[@LunaWitcherArt]

"This store is so cute" The store: literally full of plain white shelves and cabinets They aren't even trying

[@FigmentForever]

It’s a generic, “built by IKEA“, hell.

[@prongles69]

I went to the same university as gab_nyc, she made Columbia her ENTIRE online persona. She made a bunch of videos about her essays and stats that got her in but never addressed that her family is extremely wealthy and that she went to a very expensive prep school. She heavily victimizes herself whenever she gets even a bit of criticism. This girl has never admitted to doing anything wrong, I am not surprised that she’s a part of something as sleazy as this.

[@yeehawbeehaw]

I got into a fight with her in her comments and she blocked me a few years ago because I called her out on this lmao but yea when I heard that name I was shocked but not surprised in the least that she'd be doing something like this

[@samikay626]

Oh that’s why the name is familiar, I think she was mentioned in a video about Ivy League TikTokers lying about what actually decided their acceptance.

[@pptenshi3900]

@@samikay626 that annoys me to no end. getting into the schools I managed to was an extremely difficult and stressful process, and I was even told straight up that I wasn’t going to be accepted because of my parents immigrant background. it sucked. most of my classmates at my private middle school were higher class who got in because they could afford it, and not by any merit of their own. it gets me pissed when they would pretend that they got in because of their “educational prowess” or whatever personally I don’t even care if you are rich and got in cause of it, but don’t pretend that wasn’t the case

[@shanel4294]

omggg i remember herrrrrr didn't robert tolpi cover her

[@xavi1298]

​@@samikay626y'all think there's a video essays on this topic? really intrigued abt it

[@neonradius]

4:20 One of the things that’s always a bad sign to me about pages like this is when they react to genuine, well-meaning questions with outrage and offense. If she were to say, “I understand why it seems like that but this is not the case”, it would show that she was professional and genuinely cared about both the girls and values people asking questions about the girls safety. But the fact that she’s so offended over the mere concept that this is unfair labor gives off the impression that 1) it is unpaid labor, why else would she be so overly defensive and 2) she’s trying to discourage people from questioning it by acting like the question is extremely unfair and rude. If she truly cared about the girls safety, then she would value people asking questions about their safety.

[@zoneoftruth]

i was thinking this too. i understand being concerned that people are getting this impression (in a case where it's false) because it is a serious accusation, but becoming angry at the people who usually have good intentions and want the same things you do--ensuring children's well-being--only makes you and your actions look more suspicious. once i got to this part, this reaction immediately made me more concerned for the girls.

[@Nassifeh]

I can think of a lot of reasons they'd still be defensive even if they're paying, honestly. Like if you've paid a girl to do some video modeling for marketing purposes but all the videos are two minutes long, and especially if you insist she needs to do her own hair and makeup, boom, you can get a whole bunch of content for an hour's worth of work and pay her $25 and the parents will probably think that's a *ton* to be paying a kid, like it's a babysitting job or something. Only... it's not, and *we* all know that.

[@imsotiredofthiscrap2341]

heh. 4:20. nice.

[@iamjustkiwi]

"ugh y'all are so mean we're not even making them work THAT much ugghhhhh"

[@EmyN]

And she would answer them straightforwardly, girl sure is dodging a lot 😂

[@KynKouture]

As a former child and teen model the least those girls should be is paid. They are doing a job and deserve compensation

[@neverstoppedme]

Same. I had *contracts*, I had maximum shoot lengths, I had payment rates, I had times of day I could work/when was too late. I had agreements that considered both that I was a child and that I was working. But I'm not in America 🤷‍♀️

[@Feraloidies]

Seems like modelling and acting work made a lot more sense before social media put everyone on screens. It's a whole new, weird world!

[@kikicogger2284]

“ Hannah Prep lets girls be girls”- by exploiting them for marketing, giving them a permanent online footprint, and exposing their faces, names and locations to predators. The last point is supported by the fact many adults are having this videos recommended to them despite the fact they don’t watch similar content. So imagine how often these videos are shown to those who actively seek out this content?

[@mayailarraza2580]

I don't disagree, but I will say that I visited all these girls instagrams and their parents were doing this long before dear hannah. They're all child actors/models/dancers of some sort. They belong to talent agencies already.

[@ctq.jenY99]

​@@mayailarraza2580that'd sad

[@natatatm]

having a meetup with a bunch of middle school girls that is open to anyone seems like an incredibly reckless and irresponsible move. it's bad enough with child stars who have a whole network of people who are supposed to be protecting them, let alone little girls who probably don't have access to that level of security. i imagine they also live reasonably close to the store, so its not like going to a convention meet and greet, it's inviting *whoever* into their immediate area.

[@VixxyCopeland]

I instantly got the ick when that child said you can come and meet literal children at a store. Like that's...weird. Like why are 8 year olds doing meet and greets? Why are they the face of your brand like this? Its also very dangerous for them! Like whats stopping a grown adult from stalking them and using Dear Hannah as a starting point?

[@WallebyDamned]

Having them intentionally advertised as accessible to fans is 🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩

[@keroppois]

the fact these girls are being exploited to promote on an app that doesn't even let you VIEW analytics from users aged 13-17 is genuinely sickening

[@TwitchyJavaCat]

Paid Media Strategist here, I have some bad news. You can see data on ages 13-17 year olds for TikTok ads 😬 we have never used this targeting because it’s ethically questionable at best and legally reprehensible

[@LunaWitcherArt]

I can't see kids online anymore without thinking that the attention they garner is bad. I just can't. Too many pdf files and grooomers online for me to not worry every. Single. Time.

[@bakedpotato1717]

Same, really happy that parents are starting to act out skits as their children instead of featuring them!

[@laurenkellyartist]

Right! And it’s so, so easy these days. Tons of dark 🕸️ child content is deep-faked from material like this. Digital traff!ck!ng is so, so easy. I worry about motives of people posting this. Who all has access to the content, both as viewership and in terms of who’s collecting the film/editing it?? 🤬🤬🤬🤬

[@sarhahillsburg5142]

Even more so see what these sinister people coming up with now with ai 🤢

[@calliemyersbuchanan6458]

yeah at least convert them to word files! 😉

[@iamjustkiwi]

Even outside of that I just think kids shouldn't have their lives out there online, period. I was lucky enough to be able to go through my teen years JUST before Facebook became big and am extremely glad I didn't have all my cringey thoughts and stuff plastered on the internet forever.

[@icekraze07]

Was a “model” for our local Girl Scout council and didn’t get paid. They also lied about how long the materials would be used for… we were told it would be max 6 months and 10 years later they were still using our photos. Not a big deal when I was in college but once I entered the working world is was very awkward and embarrassing. I don’t mind that I did it for free because the Girl Scouts is non-profit and our local council does a lot for the local community. However I wish I had a contract written up being more precise on how long the materials could be used. In this case those girls should definitely have representation (even if it is just their parents) and should be paid. They are performing a job for a money making business not doing a public service. Also I hope they at least have contracts about what their marketing materials can be used for and how long they can be used.

[@CreatrixTiara]

I'm a Girl Guides Unit Leader here in Australia and we have pretty strict media/photo policies due to child safety! That's rubbish that your council lied to you (as in I believe you, it's the council that's being rubbish). I'm sorry you had to deal with that.

[@Feraloidies]

That's such an important point! Contracts cover so many things.

[@MelissaBlue]

The kids are giving me real "Dance Moms" vibes. Those kids were always excited for every "opportunity," including becoming pop stars. And show and clips are still all online, even as the young performers, now adults, discussing how awful the experience was.

[@henotic.essence]

It's because they're literally children who are super easily misled and who better to advertise to than those kids? A kid is selling another kid clothes by being an "influencer" an "it-girl". This is just targeted marketing using children. It's a disgrace

[@-topic9506]

why is there even that much promo and marketing for these random, seemingly only Texas-based, stores? A GIRL GROUP???? HUH???

[@msjkramey]

Because they want more business? What a silly question

[@-topic9506]

@@msjkramey the question is mostly WHERE is the budget coming from, it doesn't seem like a very big chain so how is all of this coming together

[@_900_L]

​@@-topic9506they already have money before opening their stores or they come from rich families

[@sumlem]

​@@-topic9506the cost is likely kept low by free labor

[@Purplesquigglystripe]

@@-topic9506trust fund, rich parents

[@seanthebluesheep]

I completely understand that you meant to say "child labour boutique" but I also think it's incredibly funny and we should call all retail stores "human labor boutiques"

[@ashleytaggart7867]

I live in Dallas and was immediately able to guess what area this shop was probably in. Very rich area with a bunch of entitled people and all high end stores. The parents probably have them doing this for the bragging rights of their "famous" little girl.

[@MegCazalet]

Snyder Plaza? Just guessing.

[@deaf-tomcat]

Right?? i'm too poor to even know about this store I guess.

[@pinkdarkman]

If they're in a rich area, why do all the clothes look like they're Wish quality and cost $0.04 of sweatshop labor to make????

[@bonniedowning7507]

@@MegCazaletNailed it.

[@winterburden]

Thanks for fighting against the exploitation of minors Swell!

[@Vicky-Hugh-Martini]

I'm not surprised. The hoops that some business owners will do to not financially compensate their workers and take advantage of, especially children.

[@Art7220]

In some states, they passed laws saying children can work in slaughterhouses. And some of them have gotten hurt or killed.

[@lightbop]

Whenever someone scolds people for raising genuine concerns without addressing said concerns is always a red flag that some sketchy shit is afoot.

[@mikki_s1100]

Here in Texas children can work as young as 14, sometimes younger in certain situations. Child acting is one of these exceptions, and I wonder if that is what they’re doing? The parents would have to have an exemption under the Texas work force commission for that to be allowed. And there are still rules for how much they can work. Regardless they need to be paid properly, and I worry about the young girls being featured so heavily on social media, as well as them saying meet and greets as well?..

[@awilson8521]

I was about to comment this.

[@Caldella]

Yeah the "meet and greets" thing doesn't feel right at all, especially since the manager was brushing off that these kids were only in to film for an hour or two. If they're just doing this a little and aren't so critical to your business, why are you promoting them like celebrities?

[@caitlinjones8716]

Yeah, we had folks who were allowed to take off two periods to work who needed permission, but beyond that there’s no paperwork. Could work 30hrs part time at night and weekends age 16 with no need to fill anything out for the school.

[@iamjustkiwi]

The worst part is one of the largest exemptions carved out for child labor is farm work, some of the most grueling and dangerous work out there, as a holdover from the olden days when it was considered normal to have them performing unpaid labor. Now at least they have to be paid but I for one don't think kids should ever be working, and if they feel the need to have money they earned themselves, it's a big societal problem. Pay parents enough so they can provide for their kids, jesus christ

[@rebeccac324]

i worked as a referee at 14 and made 6 dollars an hour in texas since they hired me under as an independent contractor

[@rubberlover666]

On top of everything else, none of these clothes are even remotely preppy. You’d think someone who got kicked out of Ralph Lauren would know better?

[@hannahmussmann]

I started working at 14 in the Midwest. Needed a "labor permit" from the department of labor. It was such a minimal amount of effort to obtain. Hopefully these kids get paid for their work.

[@rebeccac324]

in texas i didn’t! for context i was hired as an independent contractor at 14

[@nicolescats2]

Kansas only requires one for those under 16 who somehow aren't enrolled in secondary school. Texas has no work permit, but does require those filling out a hardship waiver (14 & 15yr olds) to work hours banned under state and federal law to have their school sign off on it. In certain states, their labor laws are mostly instructions on how much and how frequently you must pay your employees. If these girls were successfully classified as entertainers, Texas might only care about the lack of payment occuring.

[@meowmeowmeow300]

working at 14 in texas i did not ! just the reg w2 you'd get as an adult for taxes as an hourly worker lol.

[@fredskull1618]

Labeling these young girls as “models” to possibly avoid compensation is ethically questionable. Their exposure on a platform like TikTok, with its vast viewership, raises safety concerns. Who ensures these kids are protected from potential risks online? The defensiveness from the store’s representative, instead of addressing the core issues of safety and compensation, is troubling. We need to prioritize the welfare, safety, and fair treatment of these young girls over any business agenda.

[@mandalevelsup]

100% massive safety issues with this campaign both in online exploitation and how obviously this opens them up threats like stalking.

[@hicknopunk]

I worked uncompensated for almost 2 decades in my family business. I had to work a 2nd job starting in middleschool to afford my meds. It was hell.

[@vvitch-mist20]

That's awful.

[@starling333]

Absolutely terrible and I'm sorry for that childhood, I hope you're doing better now

[@lainiwakura1776]

That's a family business though, it's legal to use your family as free labor in those cases.

[@ItBeThatWaySometimes]

@@lainiwakura1776not sure what the point you’re trying to make is? Just bc it’s legal doesn’t make it right … slavery should never be legal

[@Chelseabee55]

@@lainiwakura1776that doesn’t make it ethical

[@penguinsrbirds2]

Gabby's whiney response to child labor concerns, filmed while flippantly applying hairspray and blush, is about the level of maturity and professionalism I now expect from most "Social Media Managers" tbh. Edit: Also like most of them she doesn't understand what "POV" means, ffs. The bangs video wasn't from the point of view of the "brand ambassador" girl who gave herself bangs. It was from the point of view of the creepy marketing manager behind the camera.

[@Romanticoutlaw]

the commodification of little girls gives me a huge sense of ick. We all know that it's not just other girls or parents who seek this stuff out, and I'm certain the people commodifying these kids are perfectly aware too. They just don't care as long as they get a fat payout

[@izzyb404]

i really worry about the size inclusivity of the clothing line when using children as ambassadors. girls grow extremely fast at ages 9-13, clothes shopping in that time frame can already be extremely hard on your self esteem, but now these girls also have to worry about fitting the brand image, and if the sizing isn’t inclusive beyond short and petite, being a clothing ambassador could very easily put the idea in their head that they need to stay within very specific measurements to be a valuable person. if they had girls on temporary modeling contracts it would be less of a concern, but brand ambassador suggests a long term contract that has them promoting clothes for multiple years :/

[@henotic.essence]

Fr, puberty is when your body shape changes so dramatically. From a child body moving towards an adolescent body. I remember being repeatedly called fat and bulli rwhen I was in 6th grade when I was maybe 120 pounds soaking wet. I never liked my body, I heard more negative things about it than positive my entire life, but now I'm 27 with my own baby, and I'm gonna change things for her. I don't want her to be victimized by that mindset like I was!

[@awezomnezz1]

thank you for bringing this up! it’s my first thought when I see things marketing at girls in this tween category. I started puberty way before any of my friends. I particularly remember this store called Justice, idk if they’re still around, but while all my friends got their clothes there, there was nothing there that fit me. it’s really hurtful, and i’m still dealing with the damage done to my self esteem from that period of my life. inclusivity really matters a lot.

[@izzyb404]

@@awezomnezz1 my dream store was also justice!! i’ve always been really tall and my chest began to develop earlier than most girls my age, and i also was not as skinny as most of them. even now at 23 when i see justice clothing i feel a sort of yearning, i wanted nothing more than to wear the same neon pink velvet sweatpants with glitter decals that all my peers wore, but i was just a few inches too big for anything but the ugly tunics that nobody liked. clothing stores for little girls never include chubbier kids, and the height they sell for is that of the average seven year old, it pushes young girls into the women’s section so early, and it honestly opens them up to feeling the need to accentuate the newly formed curve of the hips and waist the moment they enter puberty. i should’ve been in plaid bermuda shorts like the other girls in my class, not searching for which skinny jeans were going to hug my hips the best

[@oniodarkholme4267]

I was a mannequin model for macey’s at 12 yrs old and I was paid with a bottle of Chance by Chanel 😂 It’s VERY common in the modeling industry to be paid in gifts instead of money.

[@imaginekudryavka9485]

No matter how much kids put themselves online on their own, it shouldn’t be allowed for adults to freely exploit children, be it for financial gain or just attention. A child doesn’t have a proper understanding of what they’re getting into; it may seem like fun and even a privilege to be a part of this venture, so they do whatever is asked of them. If you asked the kids, I’m sure many of them would say they love doing this. The kids may think this is gonna get them fame and fortune, but even if it does, it won’t happen in any fair sense. Children online should have the same protections as child actors, who at least (are supposed to, on paper) have most of their money put into a fund that they get access to when they turn 18.

[@LeapThroughTheSky]

This! Even if a kid really really wants it, the parent and adults should know better and be doing better for the kids

[@riziemelanie7375]

That one second that Amanda had the "I'm parent age 0.0" moment at it just immediately cut. Wonder how long she sat there just thinking about that 😂

[@FigmentForever]

I’m 36 & still doesn’t sit well I could be a parent…not that I have the capability to be thank goodness ✂️

[@CainXVII]

I kinda had the same realization when she said it...

[@scifugitive2]

Is it just me... or is the store ridiculously under filled? It looks like an enormous store, with almost every shelf along all the walls have like 4 items in them. It's almost as if Gabi cares more about harnessing the power of cute kids over the crap she's supposedly selling.

[@vvitch-mist20]

We beed to get rid of the idea that children don't have to be compensated for their work. I have a child, and if I ever have for work for anything I will make sure she's paid properly. Those poor kids, and thank you for blurring their faces.

[@Twohomst]

Here in Texas you can be part time (less than 38hrs) starting at 15 and with a hardship paperwork starting as young as 10 (no physical labor) and that’s just normal jobs. For special jobs like modeling it’s literally 30 minutes at the courthouse for paperwork and a short interview with CPS to make sure they aren’t being forced to work against their will. It’s so easy.

[@iamjustkiwi]

...I find that especially ridiculous because I know parents that have definitely coached their kids in what to say to CPS, and like what is the kid supposed to do? Say no to the person who controls their life? As if an interview where the kid says "no I'm TOTALLY not being forced to get a job" means ANYTHING.

[@SoCalMonarch_]

As the mother of a teen model/influencer getting compensation is not easy. This is why we are very careful with what she promotes or models. If there is not any direct payment then the company has to be a good one. Some companies compensate in gc and merch however if my daughter wouldn't use the products in day to day she just doesn't do it. It's similar to acting for credit which we've done. Parents have to be super on it. Especially with girls under 12. However Instagram and TikTok do nothing to prevent these things.

[@henotic.essence]

God bless you and your daughter. Keep her safe and have fun 🎉❤

[@allisonb8912]

This just awoke a deeply repressed memory I had of this shop/boutique that was near my school in elementary/middle school (so like 2002-2006). It was called Lucky Girl and they sold Soffe shorts and other clothes that you could get personalized/monogrammed, and they would use random local kids for their advertisements and posters in the store. It was like coveted to be a "Lucky Girl" because it meant you were pretty, and now looking back on that I'm realizing how effed up that was.... My mom only let me shop there once, and I was so mad at her for not letting me go, but now I'm like yeahhhh good choice.

[@sunfvalley]

since they are going the idol route with being a girlgroup and doing meet & greet... kpop idols who debuted young (12-16) and grow up often say they regret it and tell children to just enjoy their childhood first. they are literally forced to grow up and become adult. the least the brand can do is tell us if they get paid for it

[@MissJasmine305]

All I'll say is I hope the girls are 1.) sufficiently compensated for all the work they've been doing for Dear Hannah Prep, and 2.) that they are sufficiently *protected* during any Dear Hannah events, meet & greets, etc. Posting these young girls online in these ads already had me side-eyeing the brand but doing in-person events had major alarm bells going off in my head. Like, I hope the brand shelled out for a lot of security for these young girls' safety.

[@Angee2009]

I'm most offended by the fact that not one piece of clothing shown was preppy. There were no khakis, no cardigans, no button-up collared shirts. Words have meaning, lol. A little dramatic but maybe someone should tell Dear Hannah.EDIT: For all the people saying the word has changed meaning, what is the new word for the old preppy? I have been googling the word and dictionaries, wikis and even AI have not gotten the message.

[@Nadia1989]

For real. The _all_ wear tank tops and skirts. Very sus…

[@imsotiredofthiscrap2341]

ehhh the word "preppy" among preteens has changed quite a lot. ive seen girls wear a plain white t-shirt and skirt and describe themselves as preppy. it's become sort of a word for popular or extroverted looking. it's odd but it's how all of my friends' pre-teen siblings use the word now, cause they don't actually understand the definition. they're probably just marketing off of that.

[@Angee2009]

@@imsotiredofthiscrap2341 Ty for explaining this. I blame the parents, it's just wrong.

[@phoenixfritzinger9185]

It’s southern preppy

[@cyanidecherrypie]

@@Angee2009not necessarily wrong, the “preppy” style has just evolved (for better or worse). the equivalent of grunge (90s vs 2014)

[@everybodygotthat]

Hey Amanda. If you didn't intend to work during your "vacation", it seems very strange that you'd bring that full-sized mic with you. It sounds like you're conscious of your workaholism, so let me please just say: "We can live for a week without a Swell video, please just get some rest. Burn-out benefits nobody."

[@CreatrixTiara]

​@NotVille_spamming comments to say someone is cringe is way more cringe

[@Reverend_Salem]

i have a similar mic that i use for gaming.

[@lahoorah]

If she went on vacation directly from an event/work, the gear probably came with her. Not that hard to believe... especially since "summer" just wrapped up for events with Labor Day in the US and now it's time for Back to School/Fall (Autumn) season.

[@everybodygotthat]

@@lahoorah I hope you're right. I just worry that she can't leave the job behind. Meanwhile some fools responding to me wilfully misconstrue medical concern for personal attacks.

[@ThornHawthorne]

I take my equipment with me on vacations (I work for TV) because a major event might happen and I might need to cover it while I'm gone. I assume the same happened here w/ Amanda, but I agree that the risk of burnout is high

[@lordchaa1598]

My first serious g/f was a ‘model’, she was signed by an agency and did all kinds of shows and marketing. I can attest that back in the late 90’s early 2000’s, the industry was heavily exploited. Looking back at what they would have her do at the age of 15-17, was highly inappropriate. We dated for 6 years and I was with her throughout her entire modeling career, she stopped once she got into college. I recently moved and went through a bunch of old boxes and in one of them was a huge binder of photos from multiple photo shots and marketing events. I felt dirty even looking at them. Everything was so sexualized and she was just a teenager. Looking back now, I can see why our relationship was so volatile and ended the way it did. We both became boring college students and our lives were changing so rapidly that we never stood a chance.

[@angelalovell5669]

Good on you for seeing it for what it was, even in hindsight. It's an easy thing for so many people to ignore while the rest of us suffer. But you were in the boat with us the whole time. Allies FTW. I hope you're both doing well for yourselves now, emotionally and professionally. You deserve that.

[@MiniKitty27]

the avoidance of answering whether or not the girls are being paid is far more telling than anything Gabi has already said (aka deflection and outrage over being asked legit genuine questions, as if even asking is the most absurd thing in the world). i hope the girls are being properly paid, but given the avoidance, i'm convinced that they aren't

[@henotic.essence]

They probably get paid in clothing or "opportunity" or "exposure" or pizza parties lmfao

[@Zeelovesdinos]

As soon as I saw the title I clicked. I need the Dear Hannah Prep lore presented to me in a swell format.

[@evanjuleen]

🤮 Girl said "my clothing brand doesn't make kids grow up to soon it lets them be girls". She makes mini skirts and tube tops for 8-12 yr olds.

[@taliahblair91]

wait is this comment not redundant? and like the same thing? idk, i’m not agreeing with the lady at all, but however, this comment is kinda hypocritical, you criticized her for “sexualizing” them but then in the same comment sexualized the girls for the clothes they are wearing? is that not backwards lol

[@Izzy_jam]

@@taliahblair91I think you misunderstood their comment. Tube tops and mini skirts have historically been for older teens and young adults. You can’t really play in a tube top. It’s hard to say you’re making clothes for kids, when really you’re making clothes traditionally wore by young adults in children’s sizes.

[@davidpachecogarcia]

Swell not letting things go and following the tracks down the rabbit hole. Def the “nosy bitch” we all deserve!

[@NaomiMNK]

I’m curious with the tragic 8 passenger situation if kids put on social media will get their own Coogan’s law to protect their earnings.

[@msjkramey]

God, I hope so. Letting them have the money they earn is the absolute bare minimum that these social media kids deserve. I'm sick of seeing these family vloggers in their mansions and wondering how much is actually going to benefit the child stars featured in them

[@katc2040]

They haven't even passed that law with children on tv

[@lahoorah]

@@katc2040 Um, they have. You're just thinking of Jennette McCurdy's mom stealing all her money (even though they filmed in Cali). It's wholeheartedly law in California and a handful of other states that child actors in movies and TV have to have trust accounts set up to have a minimum of 15% of their pay put in that cannot be touched until they are the age of maturity.

[@karanerd_situationroc1110]

A couple of fun facts from someone who worked in the modeling (specifically clothing/retail) industry for 10 years. If the girls are all models, they are probably all represented by the same agency. They may not be getting paid or be getting VERY little or even just clothing as payment. Their agency/management would have booked it as a volunteer opportunity, and unfortunately, this is very common in "smaller" modeling sectors. They pitch the opportunities to the parents and models as a way to build up experience and get their face our there. In these situations the models/parents often pay the agencies for "classes" and the brands get free labor with the understanding that they will continue to work with that specific agency and also steer unsuspecting new talent their way as well.

[@2stayweird]

this is giving "child beauty pageant" exploitation vibes

[@ennuibarbie]

Thank you for blurring their faces. With the recent arrest of that 8 Passengers mom I really hope there is some sort of reckoning for "children and family influencers" Children should be able to use the web without the fear of predators and even their own families using them. Its just very upsetting how little regulation there is for some of the most vulnerable people like children :c

[@minecraftkiller2997]

Swell really out here working on vacation. Please relax you deserve it.

[@gaerekxenos]

Probably couldn't relax after seeing the videos -- had to get it out of her system before settling back down xD

[@LilyLovecraft]

That place feels like a setup for a sorority based murder movie. So creepy.

[@sadmermaid]

Scream queens jr

[@the.other.ian.]

Even setting aside the payment issue, those videos are SO CREEPY.

[@bagel_bitez1]

Sure would be a shame if Dear Hannah Prep got reported to the Texas Workforce Commission.

[@mvg5767]

I thoroughly believe it’s the “cool” older girl taking advantage of younger girls using her perceived social status,

[@annoyance4135]

illinois just passed a law somewhat recently ensuring that child influencers and minors featured in influencer content get paid. really hoping more states pass laws like this because i'm tired of seeing kids get exploited like this. the whole time gabby was talking about how they aren't working as santas little elves and stuff i was just yelling "BUT ARE THEY PAID??? GIRL?? HELLO?"

[@sdsh990]

It's really weird to me that we live in a world where people get bitched out for exploiting their children for views. Yet these people still think it's okay to do this. Also I don't think dear Hannah even remotely cares about the safety of these children they are exploiting. Not only is the pay situation weird. They are also exposing these kids to VAST amounts of viewers. That no one know the intent of viewing these children. And like they're wearing short skirts and crop tops.... wear what you want within reason but maybe don't post it on a huge public social media platform when theyre children😬

[@jackharper2087]

I really hate it when people think it’s okay to post content with children in it on the internet. Not to mention for advertising :/

[@snowbeast4463]

This must be the worst era to be a teenage girl.

[@msjkramey]

I doubt that. Sure, it has its unique challenges, but there's been a lot of progress

[@ryph3]

or boy. or anyone of any age.

[@katc2040]

​@@ryph3 stop acting like there isn't a difference in the expiernces of young girls.

[@user-xv1cs9mm9d]

They're growing up way too fast

[@FigmentForever]

Especially in Texas. Women in Texas are an endangered group tbh.

[@sunfvalley]

adults letting (pushing for in this case) preteens work like this knowing all the risks today is just insane to me. like MEET AND GREET? are you insane, what if they have stalkers

[@brynn7128]

I’ve been inside Dear Hannah and they have cute stuff, with adults working there. Even bought a necklace and a sweater. I think Dear Hannah PREP is a whole different beast. They don’t seem the same to me at this point

[@anxietyirl]

When I was a teen I worked at a place that they got away with some severely unethical labor practices. It was because we were technically volunteers so all of us got paid well below minimum wage (and sometimes not at all) even though we were promised pay and learning experience but in reality (esp my division being public works) we did hard labor for next to nothing, we were also required to give consent for pictures/recording/etc. or else we could not work there. I wouldn't be surprised if something similar if not exactly the same is happening here, it sad it's literally all empty promises and taking advantage of children's naivete.

[@drewgoodenfan68]

I was a child actor and because of a bunch of loopholes my mom still gets paid for my work to this day. Things need to change for child entertainers NOW!

[@averyelizabeth1070]

I’m so glad I’m not the only one getting these videos in my fyp I can’t wait to watch this video because every time I see one it scratches my brain the wrong way

[@CB-kj8ed]

Every day, it’s a new fresh hell. Thank you for covering this.

[@kc3d777]

this happens at a lot of "cool places to work" Companies and organizations are able to get away with a lot in the spirit of "there is a line of people who will do this if you wont" my local ren fest pulls this BS all the time by having the actors as volunteers but demanding they stick to a strict schedule make a mandatory amount of hours and get shamed if they are late or miss dates. At least they are adults and know they are essentially consenting to unpaid labor. these kids really just dont understand that they are being exploited for marketing.

[@ryph3]

starbucks comes to mind

[@imsotiredofthiscrap2341]

im in high school and i see all these people my age going "oh, maybe i'll apply for starbucks part-time. seems like a good work environment." and it's unnerving cause it doesn't really matter what i tell them when advertising has said otherwise

[@iamjustkiwi]

"we're like a family, we have fun here! Now if you could come in for an hour or two for free and help out that would be SOOOO helpful!"

[@JamieRoseLincoln]

Can we talk about the fact that their clothes aren’t at all preppy it’s just like every pastel rainbow piece of clothing you can find on shien

[@nandoginkaku7610]

As good as this video is doing for helping expose exploitation. Please Amanda's manager make her take a vacation. She releases so much content and is not taking an actual vacation

[@BeeseChoard]

I’m from Dallas and lived there only until very recently. I’m in my mid twenties so i haven’t heard of this store till just now, but it’s in university park which is the area around SMU and is one of the wealthiest parts of dallas. I’m not surprised this is going on, and I’m sure a lot of these parents don’t care if their kids get paid what would probably be a meager amount to them. Additionally, in texas we do have a school-work program like you’re talking about. It’s mostly for teenagers in high school though, I’m not sure what the rules are for anyone younger than 16 but i think 15 or 16 is our minimum age to work.

[@emilymclean6541]

When I was 14 or so, I absolutely would have done something like what these girls are doing. Outside the child labor issues at play here, publicizing these young kids' lives so much seems nearly as problematic to me. I've changed quite a lot since I was a preppy, very Christian-girl-autumn vibes young teenager, and 10 years later I'm VERY glad no permanent record accessible to anyone with an internet connection exists of my high school preppy phase. When I got to college, I was able to shed that identity and discover a more authentic self with no reservations. People often accuse me of taking issues of kids on social media too seriously, but there is not nearly enough conversation about the long-term affects of this level of (likely) permanent publicity. I hope it doesn't stymie any of these girls' future personal growth.

[@brideycaramagno1847]

southern boutiques are their own kind of beast, and with bama rush gettin so big i feel like it’s all connected somehow

[@chrisblake4198]

Sorry Amanda, it's not just 'do you pay them' it's 'do they get monetary compensation and do you comply with Texas contracting/labor laws?' People like this are snakes for whom 'paying' with clothes or exposure is a valid rebuttal. They need to be pinned to the wall with no wriggle room.

[@stevenm11920]

Why are u apologizing to her lmfaooooo

[@GrainneMhaol]

​@@stevenm11920He's not apologising. He's piggybacking off her video to scold her.

[@crunchberrychaos1545]

And does the whole "come meet the girls of Dear Hannah Prep" just squigg anyone else out? There's just a lot of "nope" when you have pre-adolescent girls promoting a meet-up for, uh... fans? "HI little Suzie, um - my daughter can't be here right now cause she is ... at ... uh, summer camp, but I'd love to take your picture to send her! She'd be so jealous that her daddy got to meet you LOL!"

[@_TinyHyeju_]

I always enjoy hearing about some random corner of the internet from swell, cuz wat I look like in college knowing about a store for middle schoolers

[@kirikirikiri99]

This video made me realize I definitely should've been paid for a photoshoot I did with a local store a while back. Thank you for drawing attention to this and informing your viewers of our rights as workers!!!!!!

[@naurrr]

this is such a creepy situation for the kids. I'm appalled their parents would do this.

[@langly27]

It's some sort of gig work, they should be paid

[@alyssaw444]

do you guys remember when charli damelio was massively flamed for hosting a meet and greet at her dance studio or something? here we are 3 years later holding a meet and greet for preteen boutique employees

[@shannonceleste5557]

This is so weird. Who the hell is so closely following this small town girls' boutique that this much publicity would Ever make sense???

[@moonhaux]

I was fed one of these videos and looked on their page cause I thought it would be cool to buy some clothes for my daughter in the future. I got weird vibes from it like it looks like the store isn't open yet or like you said the kids are working there? You never see any other workers there. I forgot about it until today!

[@lonestarseoul]

Considering I live in Dallas i’m surprised i’ve completely avoided seeing anything about this lol. Definitely think this is a bit sketch, but considering the store is in a pretty wealthy part of Dallas (right next to SMU) their parents may just be really rich and don’t see the need for compensation 😅 Hoping that isn’t the case, but ya never know!

[@holly28]

Dear Hannah Prep have been LIVING on my fyp for the past few months (for reasons I have not yet ascertained), honestly it's so great to see other people talking about how weird their marketing strategy is. Like the way they promote their "brand ambassadors" who are LITERAL CHILDREN has never sat right with me.

[@Darklor_WCF]

Thank you for making this video, despite how depraved the subject matter is. It is important people become aware about the vast web of child exploitation under the auspices of "online content creation" and "social media influencers" chasing clout, money, attention, and whatever else.

[@gioh1293]

What an insane argument Gaby had omg ‘girls have to grow up so quickly so we’re breaking that mould by exploiting them and reinforcing insidious beauty standards’ like wow

[@EasterWitch]

Reminds me of when my sister and her friend were asked to model for an online clothing store when they were 15 or 16. They got permission from their parents and was both financially compensated and given clothes as gifts, but my sister said later that she regretted her decision, since the owner was basically the only employee and he was a man in his mid. 40s.

[@caitlinjoy2828]

I was so confused when this started coming up in my feed. Thank goodness it wasn’t just me

[@etherealsoliloquy]

I feel so bad for Leigha (the girl with the red hair) because she just escaped out of Jess Siwa’s girl group into apparently another suspicious situation

[@nittnybently22]

I am watching this on my way to my job as a middle school teacher. I will be asking my middle schoolers if they have heard of dear Hannah prep

[@cheshireshadow518]

The thought was vaguely in my head from the very beginning of the video but 12:24 really solidified it in my head and I said to myself: Are we sure this isn't an undercover "It's not a cult but feels like a cult" video? Absolute shenanigans. What are the parents doing??? Maybe it's just me, but I just can't imagine myself letting my kid on social media to *this* extent at that age, I just can't

[@Chester_Why]

I know someone who works for Dear Hannah Prep. She starting working as a model for them in 5th grade and she still works for them now. If anyone has any questions for her I can ask her it and inform y’all about the answers.

[@elizabethhanna6285]

How do they pay her? In clothes?

[@Chester_Why]

@@elizabethhanna6285 I’ll ask her once I see her again (I’ll probably get the info tomorrow)

[@Chester_Why]

(Sorry this took SO long) She said that she doesn’t get paid at all. No clothes. No nothing. She also says that she agrees that their working conditions are terrible

[@gloomeh9048]

It's always a huge issue when someone ignores the one comment that could clear everything up. I cannot imagine they are being compensated. Being a parent in this situation sucks, but they need to stand up for their children. The free "fun" the girls have now could possibly lead them to even more predatory business practives in the future. Whether they are 12 or 20 they deserve to be paid and treated fairly, and they need to grow up knowing that.

[@shadowhawk225]

Before watching the video, I was sure the boutique was gonna be selling MLM products and dragging little kids into pyramid schemes. And I'm still not sure it's not a layer in there somewhere. The whole situation is uncomfortable. There's something shady going on and no one will convince me otherwise

[@charleybartolo5045]

Hey Amanda, I was born and raised right outside of Dallas and got my first job at 15 at a local grocery store. And small preface. I did not have to tell my school legally it wasn't required. I also didn't have to tell my parents and I didn't have to have them sign anything, Even though it was a large commercial grocery store that had multiple locations and had a corporate structure. Well I did have to do was show that I was a Texas resident. I was local and they kept me at 25 hours and also would not let me stay at the grocery store later than 10:00 p.m. as far as I remember that all stayed the same until I turned 17 and the labor law is slightly changed and I could stay later to work. My parents did know and like they drove me back and forth to work but they never actually had to sign anything

[@neo10]

Also just to clear the air…yes the pink drink as with all refreshers are HIGHLY caffeinated lol

[@xoxogossipgorl]

hi, i live in Texas! when i was 17 and in my senior year of high school i got a job at Old Navy and my parents & school didn’t have to sign off on anything related to my job. there was no program to make sure that it wasn’t getting in the way of my classes or taking up too much time in class. hell, my job tried to schedule me DURING SCHOOL HOURS. i don’t even remember my parents having to sign off on my getting the job in the first place. it might be different for these kids since they’re under 14 (the age you can get a job in TX without parent consent), but this state does not care

[@sbclaridge]

I was surprised to see a video on this. This really needed to be said, though! I live in Fort Worth, TX. I've shopped at their store for college-age/young adults; Dear Hannah (not "Dear Hannah Prep") has a second location here in Fort Worth, likely to cater to the TCU crowd as their Dallas store does with the SMU crowd. It's a bunch of cutesy, "positive-vibes" stuff.