Don’t Post, Don’t Tell
Mothers in America aren’t allowed to claim the elements of a good story online, and it’s hurting them in real life.
I have a picture on my phone that I wish I could show you. It’s the kind of thing the internet is made for. Cute baby with rolls for days. There’s a fluffy cat involved. In my better moments, this picture makes me feel like I’m doing something right as a mother. I thought about posting it on Facebook. I even created a post. But I keep hitting cancel at the last minute. This has been going on for weeks.
You may think this hemming and hawing is a bit neurotic. And it is partly that. But it’s also a response to a devastating cultural double bind.
There is much tongue wagging about sharing pictures, stories, or any information online about children. At least weekly, a new article circulates on social media decrying these kinds of posts. One recent Forbes article summarizes the concerns: “…Technology coupled with parents’ behavior is increasingly putting children at risk for identity theft, humiliation, various privacy violations, future discrimination, and causing concern about developmental issues related to autonomy and consent.”
Yikes! What selfish person would expose their children to those potential harms?
