the "sharenting" trap: protecting children's digital footprint in the age of gen alpha influencers

Content Warning: This episode contains graphic discussions about online child exploitation and the potential long-term impacts of social media sharing on children’s privacy and safety. Listener discretion is advised, especially for those who may find these topics distressing.Episode Description: In this critical episode, we delve into the stark realities of a digital age where the allure of social media stardom for young influencers is overshadowed by the looming threat of exploitation. Our investigative journey begins with a profound analysis of a New York Times article from February 24th, 2024, that exposes a disturbing "marketplace" of girl influencers managed by their mothers. With over 2.1 million Instagram posts scrutinized, months of online chats with professed pedophiles monitored, and over 100 interviews, including those with parents and children, this piece reveals how a seemingly innocent attempt to launch a child's modeling career can spiral into a dark chasm, exploited by adult men with malicious intent.The episode confronts the dual-edged sword of parental involvement—where support and nurturing can inadvertently lead to the commodification of a child's image and privacy. We uncover the complexities faced by parents like Elissa, who, despite her best intentions, grapples with the reality of her daughter's growing online presence. We explore the unsettling trend of parents marketing their children's personal moments for financial gain or social media perks, all while their online actions shape their children's future selves without their consent.Shifting focus, we dissect the influential 2017 study "Sharenting: Children's Privacy in the Age of Social Media," which casts a legal lens on the conflict between a parent's right to share and a child's inherent interest in privacy. The study raises ethical questions and discusses the irreversible impact of sharenting on a child's ability to control their digital narrative. It suggests a public health approach, advocating for best practices that parents should adopt to navigate the delicate balance between sharing and safeguarding their children's digital identities.Join me in this profound conversation, aimed at safeguarding our children's digital footprint and ensuring their right to an autonomous online identity.Articles referenced: “A Marketplace of Girl Influencers Managed by Moms and Stalked by Men” By Jennifer Valentino-DeVries and Michael H. Keller via the New York Times (Feb 2024) and “Sharenting: Children's Privacy in the Age of Social Media” by Stacey B. Steinberg (2017)CONTACT ME + UNLOCK PREMIUM: To join the Premium Submarines on Patreon (unlocking full + ad-free episodes), check out my sponsors, or contact me, visit backfromtheborderline.comDisclaimer: The information contained in this podcast episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for treatment or consultation with a licensed mental health professional. acast+ https://plus.acast.com/s/back-from-the-borderline. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Om Podcasten

You can perform emotional alchemy and I will show you how.The idea of alchemy is to reduce something with fire – burning it down so that something new can rise from the ashes. You can do this with your personality, too. You’ve always had the power; you just didn’t know that. Now you do. Highly sensitive, emotional, and intuitive children are often impacted most severely by dysfunctional family dynamics, childhood emotional neglect, sexual abuse, grooming, generational trauma, and inherited toxic shame. As adults, these same children often find themselves with a disorder or dysfunction label, as mainstream psychiatry tries to convince them that the root of their suffering is due to a disordered personality or chemical imbalance. Our current medical model of mental health is quick to pathologize. Psychiatrists and therapists operating within this model often ask, “What’s wrong with you?” but rarely, “What *happened* to you?” Personalities are not cancerous tumors; psychological suffering cannot be accurately understood or treated through the lens of a purely medical model. We have to go deeper. And that's exactly what we do here on Back from the Borderline. A path toward healing exists, even though I know it can feel impossible when you’re looking up from rock bottom. Through working with and integrating the concepts we explore in each episode together, you’ll learn to:✧ Better regulate, name and process your emotions✧ Understand and reduce chronic feelings of emptiness✧ Confront and uproot your toxic shame✧ Put an end to recurring patterns of self-sabotage✧ Connect with your Higher Self✧ Break the cycle of generational family trauma✧ Set healthier boundaries with yourself and others✧ Recognize the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships✧ Heal from a chronic need to please and seek validation from othersTune in and prepare yourself to be standing in the ashes of the person you used to be. New episodes drop every Tuesday. As for me? I'm Mollie Adler. A disillusioned millennial, podcaster, writer, creative, existential thinker, obsessive researcher (huge nerd), and fellow f*cked up human desperately trying to find meaning in a society and culture that seems to be devoid of it. To read my Substack articles, access my Amazon book recommendation list, submit a voicemail, or contact me for collaborations, visit https://linktr.ee/backfromtheborderline. Anyone – even you – can come Back From the Borderline. 𓆩ᥫ᭡𓆪  acast+ https://plus.acast.com/s/back-from-the-borderline. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.