the danger of online aunties and uncles

Being a content creator or influencer has become an easy way to create a second income stream. While different trends in the field encouraged users to curate their experiences or lives as a silo, some are building families and finding great joy in being able to earn a few extra bucks through turning their bundles of joy into golden geese.

Something that could be seen in former Big Brother star, turned content creator, Ashley Ogle. As one of several stars who have been blessed by fans who are more than willing to crowdfund and keep her name on trend lists, Ogle was blessed with multiple gifts and funds from fans of the show.

While kind, the act follows a worrying trend of internet celebrities including their fans in their personal lives. Naming the “online aunties and uncles” fans not only engages content around their favourite stars’ children, but also intensifies a parasocial relationship with a mixture of results.

In a report by Cosmopolitan, the Gee family, with their millions of followers, shared that their approach is seeking consent from their toddlers. From fun safaris to intimate funerals, the patriarch of the home, Garret, shares they try to document the ups and downs of their family life. Even traumatic moments from losing a grandmother are up for public consumption.

A nanny of a multimillion-follower account page also put their children through a toll where they were often exhausted by the filming schedules. But it’s not just the hectic film schedules that take a toll on them. It’s also the fans who feel entitled to play out their digital relative duties. Influencers who have taken to either not showing their children at all or blurring them out have been met with violent disappointment from fans who feel entitled to these moments due to their emotional investment.

Many chatrooms and platforms that have formed have sexualised toddlers, making them fodder for paedophiles who can also turn a profit from the seemingly innocent videos and images of these digital nieces and nephews. Further harm has been caused by the introduction of AI, where Grok has been used to generate bikini-clad or nude versions of underage children for the amusement of those taking advantage of these family moments.

While social media might seem harmless, children’s images (in particular, actress Gabrielle Union’s daughter) have been misused in sexual connotations or memes.

But the toxic nature of these parasitic relationships can go two ways, especially in the case of Miranda Sings, YouTube creator Colleen Ballinger, who sent a young fan pornographic material and accepted lingerie from him when he was 13. Now 23, the former fan of Ballinger’s admits to having too close a parasocial relationship with an adult who was not a safe space.

“Sharing your children, your boyfriend, the inside of your home, perhaps about your mental health or other illness struggles, family stuff — all of that performs better on social media,” says influencer Camille Charière as more trends promote oversharing rather than controlled and glamorous posts.

The pressure to stop can also be toxic towards the children, with one kidfluencer being pressured by her parents, as it was keeping the family from losing their family home and lavish lifestyle.

While it’s a great way to bring home the bacon, social media influencing should never blur lines between creators and consumers. Speaking about the importance of those in the medical field taking a stance against parents, Jonathan Haidt says children should not be exposed on those platforms. “Make a statement that children should not be doing this. They should not be on social media. They should not be having a phone-based childhood.”