Instagram maintains the 13-year-old minimum age for accounts, but parents can take control, largely for their daughters’ ambitions to become influencers. Parents initiate their child’s modeling career or gain favor from clothing brands, but a dark subculture emerges, controlled by men attracted to minors, as per The New York Times. The emergence of mom-run profiles gives insight into how social media is reshaping childhood. Almost a third of preteens aspire to be influencers, posing risks of self-worth damage and body objectification, according to experts. With the push for online fame, especially on Instagram, parents exploit their daughters’ images, sometimes for profit. These platforms generate landscapes for abuse and exploitation, with suggestive posts favored by the Instagram algorithm, which can worsen interactions. The girl influencers can amass a large income, attracting menacing male followers who bully and blackmail for explicit content. Instagram’s largely silent response to owners reporting abuse encourages these predators. Meta found that 500,000 child accounts had “inappropriate” interactions daily, while the company removed two accounts after The Times raised concerns. Despite warnings from some mothers, others idolize the opportunities of social media for their children’s futures. However, there have been rare prosecutions against parents involved in child sexual abuse cases. Legal ambiguities exist regarding sexualized child influencers, but the law doesn’t always align with the unsettling images found online.
