When kids become content on social media | DW Documentary

Countless photos and videos of children have been posted on the internet by their parents. Influencers share details of their children's lives with their followers on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, YouTube and Snapchat. Sometimes, with terrible consequences.

Many people make money from photos of their children. Children's content is among the most popular and sought-after online, which is why social media algorithms promote these posts. The effects can be disastrous.

"If you think that sharing your child's life on social media is harmless, I'm proof that you're wrong," says Cam, now 24 years old. She knows all too well the dark side of having a mother who posted pictures of her childhood online. As a child, strangers would come up to her in the street to ask about her period. She can no longer use her real name out of concern that people will do a Google search and see all the intimate moments of her childhood.

Today, Cam is publicly campaigning for "sharenting", a term that combines "sharing" and "parenting", to be regulated, and for the dangers to be explained more clearly. Child protection activists are even seeking to classify "sharenting" as child labor, because - so the accusation goes - these parents exploit their children to earn money.

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[missm]

Influencer parents like these should all be in jail. Sharenting is a form of abuse.

[Menckenperson]

Thank you DW for producing this. I've been disgusted by all these young kids being treated like chihuahuas in purses for strangers to gawk at and judge.

[margaretkahn]

The editor did an amazing job. The shots with overlays really told this story perfectly. Showing the true reality

[KredbleThreat]

DW definitely makes some of the most relevant docs. Always great.

[christiabacon]

This is so important, this documentary needs to be seen all over!

[cosmicpuma]

Deleted social media after watching The Social Dilemma. Over a decade of peace since then and one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

[deborahthomas]

Truly unbelievable to me. I had no clue so many parents did this. What a weird way to raise a child. Glad the internet wasn't around when I was a kid. Really sad.

[Octochinchilly]

It was unbelievable when the influencer mom Jessica said “If they are bothered by it, they can change their names later”! Appalling. Just change your identity later… just like that. She’s living in an alternate reality.

[clairehachey]

The last thing I would ever do is watch anyone's daily life on social media. I don't get the point at all. And seeing all these parents expose their children in this way is beyond disturbing.

[Doubtful-]

Parents have made their kids commercial item.

[Itgyrl]

Companies are using the parents; the parents are pimping their kids; the faithful viewers are zombies; and the kids suffer identity crisises. Lord, help them all.

[jessie]

FINALLY SOMEONE IS TALKING ABOUT THIS!!!! Thank you for shedding light on this HUGE topic

[lfruler]

Children aren't show ponies...

I was a teenager when toddlers and tiaras popular on TV. I thought that was bad, this is a whole new level of messed up.

[MsSimpleMovies]

I believe parents who pull pranks on their children are human garbage.

[tayloredin]

That first French woman is so self-obsessed. Everything is about her. Her kids? Well they can just change their names. They are disposable to her.

[Parakeet-pkdl]

It’s a form of child abused and it should be punished accordingly.

[CalvinK-the_old_fogey]

I have a sharenting relative who is convinced nothing is wrong with sharing too much. The 2 children grew up under tremendous unfair pressure because social media, by nature, is curated to show positives only. I see they are so uncomfortable when they get praised by relatives and family acquaintances for every achievements, no matter how trivial. The only good out of this? They absolutely hated social media and have zero social media presence.

[leoifediba]

Parents trading their kids privacy/ innocence for money.. This is a case of stolen innocence, the longterm damage or ROI is not going to be worth it for these children. Not here to tell anyone how to raise their kid(s). ❤

[bl-wl]

If you're going to be a parent, delete all social media.

[GGTanguera]

People should have their head checked before becoming parents.