Parents covering their children's faces with emojis on social media has become a growing trend, but journalist Sierra Tishgart calls it 'posturing parenting'. The practice, seen among celebrities like Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, involves placing symbols such as hearts or smiley faces over children's faces in photos shared online.
Critics argue this is performative privacy, as parents still seek validation from likes and comments while pretending to protect their children's identities. Even Mark Zuckerberg has been called out for covering his kids' faces with emojis, despite his assurances about social media safety.
The trend has trickled down from Hollywood, with Blake Lively, Orlando Bloom, and Kourtney Kardashian among those using emojis. Carrie Johnson recently posted a photo with her four children, each face obscured by a heart, citing concerns about identification due to Boris Johnson's public profile.
Some parents opt for less showy methods, like showing children from behind or the side, as Meghan has done. This is seen as genuinely safer, since emojis can be removed by malicious actors. Ultimately, the article suggests parents should either share photos fully or not at all, rather than engaging in 'performative parenting'.
