Instagram Accounts of Young 'Kidfluencers' Attract Troubling Adult Attention
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Many young "kidfluencers" on Instagram are too young to have accounts, so their moms create and run accounts showing photos and videos of their kids.
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These accounts can be lucrative - Instagram enables paid subscriptions, and brands pay for sponsored posts. But they also attract inappropriate attention from adult men.
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Analysis found a correlation between larger followings and higher percentages of adult male followers, who often leave inappropriate comments.
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Some men stalk or threaten the girls and families behind popular accounts, trying to blackmail them over what they see as inappropriate content.
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Running a safe account requires constant vigilance in blocking predatory followers, leading some parents to warn that the risks outweigh potential benefits.