Many parents, particularly moms, are increasingly hesitant to share their children’s faces on social media for several reasons. Privacy, safety and unwanted attention to name a few. While the movement to leave kids out of content has been gaining momentum for a while, the documentary “Quiet on Set” Nickelodeon seemed to add a tremendous amount of fuel to the fire.
What’s interesting and almost unrelated is now many moms are choosing not to show their own faces in the content either with the rise of Faceless Social Media.
The Movement to Remove Kids from Content
Even before the documentary, there has been a growing awareness about the child’s right to privacy and consent. Kids, as they grow older, might not appreciate having their lives documented publicly without their approval – especially moments that could be sensitive or embarrassing (like toddler meltdowns.)
Safety is another significant factor. Parents want to protect their children from potential dangers, such as online predators or cyberbullying. In addition, many parents are concerned about the psychological impact of growing up in the digital spotlight, which might pressure children to perform or behave in certain ways.
On TikTok, many accounts featuring children – most notably Wren Eleanor and her mother Jacquelyn – have received a firestorm of comments from the social media community urging the parents to stop showing their children in the content. The concern seemed to skyrocket after Quiet on Set debuted.
Whether you’re a brand or a mom creator, here are some easy ways to respect a minor’s privacy and not show his or her face in the content.
- Focus on product only. This can easily be done with simple product shots or video or with flat lay photography.
- Simply don’t show their face. The back of their head works just fine. Sun Protective Apparel Brand Walababy implements this technique for all of its marketing.
- Use a doll or stuffed animal. The infant massage platform Kahlmi has done a great job of this.
- Obscure using graphics or editing. Use an emoji or simply blur the face.
A Growing Trend Toward Faceless Content in General
The rise of faceless social media accounts has created a unique niche for content creators who prefer to remain anonymous while still building an online presence. A faceless social media account is exactly what it sounds like: an account where the creator does not show their face. Instead, these accounts focus on niche content, such as quotes, lifestyle photos & videos, products, memes, or any other subject that doesn’t require the creator’s personal identity to be front and center.
The Appeal of Faceless Accounts
Faceless accounts have become popular for several reasons:
- Anonymity: By not showing their face, creators can maintain their privacy and avoid the pressures and scrutiny that come along with social media.
- Focus on Content: These accounts emphasize the content itself, allowing followers to connect with the themes and messages rather than the person behind the account.
- Flexibility: Without the need to appear on camera, creators can focus on high-quality content production, posting more frequently and consistently.
How Faceless Accounts Can Work to a Brand’s Advantage.
At Gugu Guru, we see an advantage for brands – specifically parenting brands – to explore faceless marketing. In the case of Walababy and their intentional move to never show kids in their marketing content, they have already gained a lot of favor from parents who appreciate this approach.
There are advantages, as well, for brands to consider not using a “face of the brand” (when it’s not the founder of the brand.) First off, a brand isn’t tied to a single creator’s face. Teams change, people move on- tying your brand to one face or spokesperson is a liability. With parenting brands in particular, a parent or child can “age out” of a product or service – making it difficult or sometimes impossible to create the content required. Brands can utilize a faceless approach for more flexibility and focus on the product.
And for brands who have an exit strategy in mind, it is also worth mentioning that a brand should not be so tightly tied to any founder or team member in a way the brand can’t really “exist” without that individual and/or the content would suffer greatly. This is also a longterm benefit to faceless content.
