mash★collective

In ten years time I predict we will all be part of The Truman Show world of Facebook and it’s descendents regardless of whether we choose to be there or not.

Recent research posted by Chris Voss poses some uncomfortable social and ethical dilemmas for parents and parents to be when documenting their children.

Let me just throw a disclaimer in here to say that I don’t even upload photos of my pets on Facebook let alone a small related human.

Facebook brings out the best in people but often the worse too.  As the veritable ‘mirror on the wall’, it highlights our shallow musings, desires and inconsequential babble. It is what we want it to be.

Over the years, I have seen, watched and read the status updates, posts and photos of a number of distant relatives and friends as they embark on the adventures of parenthood. It started with perhaps a post of one or two first day at school photos. Increasingly, it has started even earlier with an update  at the confirmation of a pregnancy test before the first scan has been complete. Of course, I have the option of hiding updates, deleting connections and ignoring these unfolding young lives.

What option do babies and children have? Should we really be using Facebook as a virtual baby book? Should our children not be allowed the choice or the right to decide at some stage if they even want to have a digital footprint from conception and throughout their lives?