HOW CHILDREN ARE « USED » ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Nowadays, children have access from a really young age to the internet and social media. However, they can also be an “attraction” on social media too. Indeed, from the Italian blogger and business woman Chiara Ferragni, exposing her pregnancy and pictures of her labor to the eyes of her 12 million Instagram followers. To Kylie Jenner, publishing a video of her pregnancy, 3 days after she gave birth to her daughter and gathering 62 million of views, and now, publishing videos of her daughter of Snapchat.

Or even the Belgian model Rose Bertram who created an Instagram account for her new born daughter already reaching 40000 followers. As the influencers are meant to emit an image of perfection, perfect bodies, face, clothes, lives, boyfriend or girlfriend, they also try to give the image of a perfect family. Maybe that’s a way to reach a wider audience but most of all, their children become content on their social media.

They are also a way to keep being in the actualities. It goes without saying that these children are exposed really soon to the many critics on social media. Besides, children are also very present on YouTube. Their parents film, edit and publish videos their videos. Since, on YouTube, you can earn money with videos, the parents can touch some money by publishing videos of their children. Although some parents keep the money on a bank account waiting for their children’s majority, some others take advantage of this money. For example, Ryan from the channel “Ryan ToysReview”, is a 6-year-old who gains more than 11 million dollars, only by showing himself unpacking toys.

This raises the question of child labor. Moreover, the child is filmed in is private environment, giving some information about him: his name and age and where he lives. Thus, it is difficult for him to make a difference between the image he gives of himself on YouTube and his true identity. Finally, does the child agrees to be filmed or photographed? What is the true free will and consent of children regarding social media?

All of these cases lift up the question of the protection of children on the internet. Apart from the omnipresent dangers on the internet, we can wonder how far this voyeurism will be pushed?

-- CHIARA