Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard recently released Hello Bello, a natural, plant-based, baby products line at Walmart (stay tuned for a review of these products on UR Basic Mom). While you might be thinking, “An affordable, natural baby care line… what’s controversial about this?”
Well, it’s the Internet, so, brace yourself for the shitstorm. Last Monday, in anticipation of the brand release, Kristen Bell posted a promotional commercial for the new brand on Instagram.
In the commercial, Bell appears with a little girl she calls “Jordan.” The issue? Bell and Shepard (along with other celebrities like Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler, Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes, and Adele), have famously decided not to show their children’s faces on social media. And, in true Instagram troll-style, Bell quickly took heat in the comments section; being accused of exploiting the little girl to sell her products.
On the other hand, celebrities exposing both their children’s names and faces publicly sometimes backfires. But a new age debate as to whether or not parents should display their children publicly online has resurfaced–with a vengeance. Two UR Basic Mom contributors weigh-in below.
Do you post photos of your children on social media?
Erin – Of course I do!
The way I view and use social media is pretty laid back. I rarely take things seriously, and use the platform to cope with my inability to not be a hermit. I love sharing things that make me relate and things that make me laugh. I also use it to share the good, bad, cute and real of my kids’ lives.
I joined Facebook as a teenager. Half of my life has been filled with this app-based, pseudo-friendship. It was a transition from Myspace and the app eventually grew from “Erin is…” posts to, basically, a blank slate. With that blank slate for my life updates, it’s only normal, to me, for my kids to be a part of it. It brings them closer to my circle.
I’m proud of them, I love them, and I want to share them.
Yes, I understand trafficking and child predators. I shared limited stuff, while not using a cloud. Even if I was hacked, not much is backed up publicly that I haven’t put there. I have talks with my kids about strangers and have blunt conversations with them about private parts. I listen to them and believe them over little injustices, just in case they need me for a bigger issue. Hopefully, there isn’t, but let’s face it the real risks are people that have physical access to them. All of those aspects are locked down in our real lives.
I don’t feel like they are at risk.
Obviously, since beginning my blog, I’ve shared a lot more of my personal life, especially my experiences as a mom. Is it exploitation or just making other moms feel less alone? I say the latter. If I was ever to find fame, my stories likely wouldn’t change. My voice would just have a bigger outreach. My kids like being a part of what I’m a part of. Posting and writing about them has basically become an ongoing and semi-public baby book. If we see posts from the past, they giggle at baby versions of themselves and the silly stories.
Besides the enjoyment that they get from seeing themselves, so do their relatives that live far away. Both my significant other and I have siblings that live in other states. Kids grow like weeds and it really keeps us all a little more connected. Also, the grandparents love having a platform to share the kiddos with their friends, too. It makes it easier to keep up.
In Summary:
- Social Media is a real part of our present and future lives.
- I’m aware of the risks and proceed accordingly.
- We are able to record our memories.
- Sharing my kids on social media allows family members to watch them grow from afar.
Claire – I’m exercising caution .
I used to think posting our child’s picture online wasn’t a big deal. Now, growing older and wiser in life, I am conscious about posting my child’s picture online. I always think about the future and how this picture may impact him later. I ask myself if he will be embarrassed or ashamed. Honestly, I think it is unrealistic to not post your child’s picture, although I understand it can be easy to do.
Unless you are on one of my private social media accounts, you won’t often see our son.
There are tons of moments I have captured in pictures that I choose not to share, and I think there is something special about just cherishing a moment between a few people. In fact, you are more likely to see a photo of our dog than you are of our child. The difference between these (besides the obvious) is our dog has already shown us he is more than capable of protecting himself and our family, even if his pictures make him look harmless.
I’ve taken precautions like combing through my friends’ list and making sure I know and trust those people, and I’ve even restricted what some of them see. I won’t post any pictures of my child bathing, in odd situations, or in a school uniform. We don’t use full names. Once my child is old enough to consciously make
We live in a time where it is reality that most anything can be hacked. Everything from our phones and “the cloud” – where most of us keep our pictures, to our refrigerators and vehicles! Yes, you can limit what you put out for the world to see. Have I posted anything online that I shouldn’t have? Probably. And I can go find it and delete it, but will it ever really be gone forever? I doubt it.
In Summary:
- I used to be less cautious about posting my child on the internet.
- Now, you will rarely see my child online or will see an obscured image (unless you are connected to one of my private social media accounts).
- I take precautions with my friends/follower lists and set specific boundaries.
Where do you stand? Do you share you kids’ names and faces on social media and the internet or do you keep them off? Let us know in the comments.
