Nigerian writer and social commentator Solomon Buchi has criticised parents who create social media accounts in their babies’ names and then use those accounts to interact with posts made by the parents.
Buchi questioned the practice of parents managing Instagram pages for their children and presenting comments from those accounts as though the babies themselves were actively participating online.
In his view, the trend can cross the line from documenting a child’s early years into turning the child into a public figure before they are old enough to understand or consent to the exposure.
He described the practice in strong terms, arguing that parents should reconsider how they use their children’s identities and images on social media.
Buchi’s comments have sparked conversations about the growing trend of “baby influencers,” where parents create online platforms around their children, share their daily activities and sometimes build large audiences around their personalities.
Supporters of the practice argue that such accounts can simply serve as digital scrapbooks where parents document important childhood moments for family members and followers.
Others, however, have raised concerns about privacy, consent and the permanent digital footprint created for children who are too young to make decisions about their online identities.
There are also questions about monetisation. As children’s social media accounts grow, some parents may receive brand opportunities or other commercial benefits from content featuring their children, making the debate about parental control and financial interests even more complicated.
Buchi’s criticism comes amid broader concerns over the increasing exposure of children on social media. Earlier this year, he also commented publicly on a separate case involving alleged exploitation of a child during an online livestream, highlighting his broader concerns about protecting minors in digital spaces.
The latest discussion has therefore raised an important question for parents: where should the line be drawn between proudly documenting a child’s childhood and turning that child’s identity into a public brand?
As social media continues to become part of everyday family life, the debate over children’s privacy, consent and digital footprints is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.
