Baby Spamming: Are You Guilty?
Marie Claire - UK|August 2017

Our social feeds are flooded with filtered photos of newborn babies and too-cute toddlers. But are there consequences to posting about our children’s lives? Caroline Corcoran uncovers the psychology of ‘kid spam’.

Caroline Corcoran
Baby Spamming: Are You Guilty?

In the ten months since I’ve become a mother, I have taken thousands of pictures of my baby – yogurt smeared over his eyebrows, grinning in the bath or our faces squeezed together in a selfie. Those shots have been pored over with sleepy parental wonder by my partner and me, pinged to grandparents on WhatsApp and framed for our mantelpiece. But none of these images have been shared online.

I don’t judge anyone for ‘baby spamming’ their own friends on Facebook, but as somebody who worries about online privacy, I didn’t feel it was my right to choose how public my son’s life would be. With so much of ourselves being put ‘out there’ nowadays, I also felt an instinctive compulsion to keep my family life in a safe, offline bubble. One scroll of Instagram, though, and it’s clear I’m in the minority. In 2016, parents posted 54 per cent more images of their children than they did in 2015, and by their child’s fifth birthday, the average British parent has shared 1,498 pictures of their child. So, is this simple parental pride or is there something else going on?

Vicky Charles, 35, a copywriter from Salisbury, became a single parent three weeks after her daughter Samaire, five, was born prematurely – she turned to social media for support. ‘Because my life was in such chaos, I had no confidence in what I was doing as a mum,’ she says. ‘So I sought reassurance from other parents online that I was doing OK. When I got comments and likes it was a huge boost, particularly at night when I was exhausted and by myself. The more response I got, the more I posted.’

Denne historien er fra August 2017-utgaven av Marie Claire - UK.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra August 2017-utgaven av Marie Claire - UK.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA MARIE CLAIRE - UKSe alt
Uma Thurman
Marie Claire - UK

Uma Thurman

‘I Managed To Stay In The Business That I Love All My Life, And I Know That’s Not A Given. I Can’t Not Feel Lucky About It, No Matter What The Downsides Can Be’.

time-read
8 mins  |
November 2019
Pollution Proof Your Life
Marie Claire - UK

Pollution Proof Your Life

From your daily commute to your wood-burning stove, you’re unwittingly inhaling a variety of toxic substances. But you can take action to reduce their impact, reveals Claire Thorp.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2019
We Love Lucy
Marie Claire - UK

We Love Lucy

From a star-making turn in Bohemian Rhapsody to a leading role in sassy new Netflix show The Politician, Lucy Boynton is ready for her close-up. Here, she tells Jane Mulkerrins about her life-changing year.

time-read
7 mins  |
November 2019
Human Touch
Marie Claire - UK

Human Touch

Connecting with others can have a confidence-boosting effect, support skin health and help you live longer. Here’s why the wonders of physical contact really matter...

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2019
Facing The Floods
Marie Claire - UK

Facing The Floods

Photographer Gideon Mendel has spent 12 years capturing the extreme rise in flooding across the globe. Here, he tells Marie Claire about the devastating human impact.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2019
'Learn How To Please Yourself First' –and Other Sex Tips From Our Mums
Marie Claire - UK

'Learn How To Please Yourself First' –and Other Sex Tips From Our Mums

Three mothers and daughters explain how talking openly to each other about sex, identity and pleasure has strengthened their relationship and enriched their love lives

time-read
9 mins  |
September 2019
10 Mindful Ways To Approach Health And Well-Being
Marie Claire - UK

10 Mindful Ways To Approach Health And Well-Being

From cortisol-free fitness to stress-busting diets and calm skin, Fiona Embleton reveals ten mindful ways to approach health and well-being

time-read
6 mins  |
May 2019
Sex Crimes on Campus
Marie Claire - UK

Sex Crimes on Campus

This month, thousands of female students will head for university, but many will become the victims of sexual assault and harassment.Polly Dunbar investigates the alarming rise of college rape culture.

time-read
7 mins  |
November 2016
Fight The Fear
Marie Claire - UK

Fight The Fear

Approximately ten million people in the UK suffer with a debilitating phobia. When Charlotte Haigh’s fear of flying threatened to damage her mental health, she took action…

time-read
6 mins  |
December 2017
Celine Dion
Marie Claire - UK

Celine Dion

‘Growing Up, I Used to Feel Awkward and Insecure. I Remember Not Feeling or Looking My Best’

time-read
8 mins  |
December 2017