Anonymous
Post 10/02/2023 17:38     Subject: Influencers who share their kids on social media
People do it for money, attention, and the desire to be famous. They pimp their kids out for their own vanity.
Anonymous
Post 10/02/2023 17:29     Subject: Influencers who share their kids on social media
Anonymous wrote:I've seen people do the thing where they put an emoji over the child's face, too.

I will say though - one person I follow just recently had a baby and is not showing the face. The comments she is receiving (she screenshotted some) are HORRIBLE. People saying "other moms are proud to show their babies" - like can they truly not comprehend it's not a lack of pride but a privacy consideration? Especially when someone has hundreds of thousands or even millions of followers?


One of Fergie and Prince Andrew’s daughters decided to not show her baby’s face on social media and people started rumors that the baby had Down syndrome. Since her parents had public lives and she was born into the British royal family, people felt entitled to see the baby.
Anonymous
Post 10/02/2023 16:04     Subject: Influencers who share their kids on social media
I've seen people do the thing where they put an emoji over the child's face, too.

I will say though - one person I follow just recently had a baby and is not showing the face. The comments she is receiving (she screenshotted some) are HORRIBLE. People saying "other moms are proud to show their babies" - like can they truly not comprehend it's not a lack of pride but a privacy consideration? Especially when someone has hundreds of thousands or even millions of followers?
Anonymous
Post 10/02/2023 15:50     Subject: Influencers who share their kids on social media
One influencer I used to follow realized she went to far and stopped showing her kids. She stopped using their names, deleted old posts, etc. But now she’s back to using them for content, just not showing their faces. The $ is worth it for her, I guess.

Anonymous
Post 10/02/2023 14:28     Subject: Influencers who share their kids on social media
Anonymous wrote:It's for vanity and validation but also people are convinced that it's the way to build generational wealth. I follow financial accounts and it's a very common piece of advice to "put your kid on your payroll" and make them little models or something, then cut them a check for whatever the Roth cutoff is that year, open and fund a Roth, and watch it compound until infinity. The idea is "rich people are already doing this, you're behind" and insta-lebrities are certainly trying to get rich so I could see them thinking this is not only ethically fine (publicizing their kids), but actually beneficial and in their best long-term interests because they'll be ready to retire at 35 or something.


I want to do that thing with the Roth with my kid but not by turning her into an Instagram influencer. I just figured I'll hire her as my assistant and pay her the max Roth contribution and thus get her retirement savings started a decade early so she gets a jump.

You do not need to turn your kid into a public person to help them financially.
Anonymous
Post 10/02/2023 13:04     Subject: Influencers who share their kids on social media
Anonymous wrote:It's for vanity and validation but also people are convinced that it's the way to build generational wealth. I follow financial accounts and it's a very common piece of advice to "put your kid on your payroll" and make them little models or something, then cut them a check for whatever the Roth cutoff is that year, open and fund a Roth, and watch it compound until infinity. The idea is "rich people are already doing this, you're behind" and insta-lebrities are certainly trying to get rich so I could see them thinking this is not only ethically fine (publicizing their kids), but actually beneficial and in their best long-term interests because they'll be ready to retire at 35 or something.


No thanks. Am very grateful to have grown up without parents putting me on social media or a “payroll.” Makes me rethink my choices to even post pictures of my kids on my very small, private Instagram.
Anonymous
Post 10/02/2023 13:04     Subject: Influencers who share their kids on social media
Anonymous wrote:It's for vanity and validation but also people are convinced that it's the way to build generational wealth. I follow financial accounts and it's a very common piece of advice to "put your kid on your payroll" and make them little models or something, then cut them a check for whatever the Roth cutoff is that year, open and fund a Roth, and watch it compound until infinity. The idea is "rich people are already doing this, you're behind" and insta-lebrities are certainly trying to get rich so I could see them thinking this is not only ethically fine (publicizing their kids), but actually beneficial and in their best long-term interests because they'll be ready to retire at 35 or something.


It’s almost certainly financially beneficial to the kids, but that’s not always what needs to take precedence when raising your kid. I guess my thoughts on that are the difference between me and a mommy blogger (among other things).
Anonymous
Post 10/02/2023 12:56     Subject: Influencers who share their kids on social media
It's for vanity and validation but also people are convinced that it's the way to build generational wealth. I follow financial accounts and it's a very common piece of advice to "put your kid on your payroll" and make them little models or something, then cut them a check for whatever the Roth cutoff is that year, open and fund a Roth, and watch it compound until infinity. The idea is "rich people are already doing this, you're behind" and insta-lebrities are certainly trying to get rich so I could see them thinking this is not only ethically fine (publicizing their kids), but actually beneficial and in their best long-term interests because they'll be ready to retire at 35 or something.
Anonymous
Post 10/02/2023 12:53     Subject: Influencers who share their kids on social media
Anonymous wrote:Lol, I'm an interior designer and totally use my dog in a lot of shots of rooms I've done. Oh, and I've used back-shots of my kids - them on a hammock swing chair, or three of them lined up on a couch showing the back of their heads, or them sitting at a kitchen counter, etc.

But yeah, they're not anywhere online. I want their online footprint to be as minimal as possible, for as long as possible.


Yeah, I don’t have a problem with that. Fine to acknowledge they exist without orchestrating their every move and outfit to make a commission off of.
Anonymous
Post 10/02/2023 12:47     Subject: Influencers who share their kids on social media
Anonymous wrote:Deep down they want people to aspire to be them and that means sharing their kids. I also can't get over how many wealthy women openly share their kids all over the internet. They don't "need" the money, they just want others to covet their lifestyle.


All of this. They do it for the validation. Which is one thing, but using your kids (and destroying their privacy without their consent) to do so is so, so gross.

I don't really even understand why anyone who isn't making money off their SM accounts has public accounts. Unless you are a public person who uses it to sell work and make money, the idea that you'd want strangers to be able to see all your photos of your children, your home, your vacations, etc., is so gross to me. Why would anyone want this???
Anonymous
Post 10/02/2023 12:46     Subject: Influencers who share their kids on social media
Anonymous wrote:I don’t get how they are comfortable with this. I understand (but am disgusted by) the no-name stay at home moms trying to earn a buck “influencing” and shilling things via their kids. Or former bachelor contestants. But then there are these decorators with established design businesses, for example, who could just focus on interiors but also decide to also heavily feature their kids as part of their brand (their clothing, toys, etc as little models.) I know it’s all for money- but it’s just such a gross exploitation of their kids. I don’t get how people justify it.


Attention whores gonna whore.
Anonymous
Post 10/02/2023 12:45     Subject: Re:Influencers who share their kids on social media
I don't understand why anyone posts photos of their kids on public social media accounts. So many people do it, influencers and not. I follow a podcast host who does this and I find it so surprising. She's not a SM influencer, and doesn't need to share kid photos to promote her work. She has hundreds of thousands of followers. Yet I know what her kids look like, their ages, their favorite activities, things about their medical history. Why? Why?????? It's so strange to me.
Anonymous
Post 10/02/2023 12:45     Subject: Influencers who share their kids on social media
Anonymous wrote:Deep down they want people to aspire to be them and that means sharing their kids. I also can't get over how many wealthy women openly share their kids all over the internet. They don't "need" the money, they just want others to covet their lifestyle.


Yes, complete vanity. I am particularly appalled by featuring young kids who can’t consent or can’t fully understand the public platforms on where their parents are sharing their lives with total strangers. Teens can theoretically advocate for themselves more and it’s more of a gray area.
Anonymous
Post 10/02/2023 12:43     Subject: Influencers who share their kids on social media
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Because it sells, and our kid gets a cut. She knows she is working.


Does a toddler know they’re working? And is anything in place legally to protect their financial interests? I doubt it.


Plus, they can’t consent.
Anonymous
Post 10/02/2023 12:43     Subject: Influencers who share their kids on social media
Anonymous wrote:Because it sells, and our kid gets a cut. She knows she is working.


Does a toddler know they’re working? And is anything in place legally to protect their financial interests? I doubt it.