The purpose of this presentation is to take a deeper look at “micro-micro celebrities”, a term coined by anthropologist Crystal Abidin referring to the celebrity babies and toddlers of social media. Small children are becoming among some of the most influential micro-celebrities on the internet. Unable to navigate technology and social media on their own, curation of a child’s online persona is left in the hands of their adult guardians and often causes debate over whether the decision for parents to promote this influencer lifestyle for their children is an ethical one. What happens when an online presence is cultivated without the child’s full comprehension of what it ultimately means for their life and for their future? The micro-micro celebrity profiles looked at throughout this presentation are ones from varying backgrounds: traditional celebrity children, children of established social media influencers, as well as children of Instagram “stage mothers.” Do these differing backgrounds affect how the audience perceives these young influencers and their guardians? And does producing an influencer child turn parenting from a private into a public matter?
About the presenterBriana Franco
I’m a senior at UMBC, graduating in December 2018 with a B.A. in media communications. My interest in both anthropology and psychology has helped shape my choices for research.