Momfluencers share their parenting journeys online, but some go too far by exploiting their kids’ milestones for profit.
Fortesa Latifi is a writer in California. She wrote a book called “Like, Follow, Subscribe: Influencers and the Cost of a Childhood Online.”
With social media moms like Hannah Neeleman and Nara Smith gaining millions of fans many women feel pressure to show perfect motherhood. Some parents post their kids online for money or fame but face criticism and risks. Latifi found that parents know about dangers but keep posting anyway.
The Mormon Church helps fund Mormon influencer families. Family vloggers say videos showing kids being sick sad or hurt get the most views. Latifi heard parents admit they film kids crying or bleeding because it gets more attention from viewers.
Some moms use special moments in their daughters’ lives to sell products like menstrual pads. Other families film first leg shaves and goodbyes at funerals which can get millions of views. Latifi says cameras become normal parts of these families even for very personal events.
Young people today dream of being famous online influencers with 57 percent of Gen Z wanting these careers. Many moms choose this work because it gives them income while staying home with children. The question of whether kids are being exploited online remains complex and unclear.
Latifi’s research shows parents often don’t consider long-term effects on their children. Kids grow up with their whole lives documented online before they can even say yes or no. The book explores how parenting in public changes both mothers and their children forever.