Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Instamums 2

999 replies

shesakeeper · 21/03/2018 19:13

Interested to read this in the Guardian today

www.theguardian.com/fashion/2018/mar/21/instagram-influencers-can-flog-stuff-all-day-but-its-weird-when-they-use-their-kids-to-do-it

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
Mumofkids · 22/03/2018 22:14

Babalou- I thought this at the time, recently motheroffiveboys went to that Portuguese resort that the Hoopers went to. They noticeably only stayed a couple of nights. But I don't know with them if it's an ad or if they paid. I wondered if maybe like with Disney they got accommodation for free but paid flights and food etc that would probably still be bloody expensive and may make them feel they did 'pay', it's just hard to tell and I think overall people would be less bothered if the ads were transparent.

Fruitbowl2 · 22/03/2018 22:17

Lundi MOD/FOD have by far the most followers and although I've never followed them they are constantly on my feed. It's almost impossible to not know what they're doing!

Mumofkids · 22/03/2018 22:18

Lundi, but there is the beast of Instagram. You follow these genuine people and they put their lives out there and their kids lives and then when it's all fake and for money it gets discussed. Not really that odd. People only know what they share. And actually watching stories of people talking their inner thoughts into their phone is actually weirdly intimate when you think about it.

PavlovaPrincess · 22/03/2018 22:19

yet know everything about them

I know, right?! Them being such private people and all...

And fruitbowl is right. FOD and his Dorset Cereal ad popped into my feed the other day and I don't follow either of those accounts.

AuntMabel · 22/03/2018 22:19

I'm with Lundi. 11 posts in and this thread became about MOD/FOD - MP too. Is this an AIBU about Instamums (strictly speaking FOD doesn't count, what with being a Dad), or just an opportunity to snipe at these three?

What does "I can't believe FOD's only 36" bring to the debate exactly? So fucking unnecessary and spiteful, surprised Mumsnet allows it.

FacebookAteMyBrain · 22/03/2018 22:19

My eyes have been opened by this thread to how many people churn out photo after photo of their children on their Instagram feed, and how many people follow them! I am genuinely baffled as to why other people's babies are so interesting? I find my own children cute (at times) but other people's? Nope.

When MOD did that post about birth stories the other day, her passion for midwifery really came across and she seemed so warm in her responses. I'd not really seen this side of her as I wasn't a follower of her Gas and Air blog, but I really liked how she came across in that post.

Lundi · 22/03/2018 22:19

Fruitbowl2 you don't follow them but they're on your feed? That makes no sense. Granted you might have seen an ad they have done pop up, but you wouldn't know every detail about their life

HabbyHadno · 22/03/2018 22:22

I don't get all this obsessing. Surely if someone annoys you then don't follow them? I'm pretty sure these popular Insta parents and You Tubers have had to put some serious groundwork into creating a buzz around themselves, it's not like it's just fallen in their lap. And who wouldn't take up sponsorship deals? As someone said upthread this is probably a bit of a 'flash in the pan' career path and there will always be a turnover of fresh people to follow, so I don't blame them for making hay while the sun shines. It seems like a really fun job to have if you get lucky enough to hit the big time.

Fruitbowl2 · 22/03/2018 22:22

Northwards I think it has been said lots that MOD is nice/a good midwife by those who have met her. Perhaps that says a lot about having an insta persona which isn't reflective of the real you because you are presenting a forced and fake feed to make money.

PavlovaPrincess · 22/03/2018 22:24

@FacebookAteMyBrain agreed. I wish MOD would do more midwifery posts. I also like the interior stuff too.

Mumofkids · 22/03/2018 22:25

Auntmabel - they are prolific posters and the algorithms on Instagram shove them at you. I want to train in midwifery which is why I found and followed MOD. Sometimes that element still comes through so you are interested.
Why on earth is FOD's only 36, spiteful? It's an observation. He does actually look quite a lot older. And tired. Which is why he was using face masks last week. And he storied people saying he looked to old to be a CBeebies presenter. People just look for things to be insulting when they are not.
On the flip side, Clemmie is looking pretty good.

Fruitbowl2 · 22/03/2018 22:25

Lundi has anybody said they know every aspect of their lives?

StealingYourWiFi · 22/03/2018 22:26

I find the Ingham family the worse for parading their kids. They filmed a YouTube video of their child at the doctors getting diagnosed with an ear indecision then dragged her round the shops afterwards to look at ski clothing for a child who wasn’t even with them?! Only to then order it online.

The amount of spending is ridiculous. The oldest girl (11 or 12) now has her own YouTube channel, they are even flogging bloody branded Easter eggs.

PavlovaPrincess · 22/03/2018 22:28

I take it you weren't on the previous thread @AuntMabel

Some of the stuff said about FOD would've had you reaching for the smelling salts Wink

theyoniwayisnorthwards · 22/03/2018 22:29

This just seems like pointless meanness about a nice person to me. She works at something, she’s obviously become good at it and she needs to earn money for that labour so it can continue.

Fruitbowl2 · 22/03/2018 22:37

Huh northwards? She is a midwife and author. I don't think MOD neeeeeds to instagram.

papayasareyum · 22/03/2018 22:37

oh god, the bloody Inghams! Always smiling, always happy, always spending spending spending money on expensive stuff for the kids. Oversharing, Instagram photos of their kids in bikinis, the constant surprise holidays, the constant surprise treats, the constant happy happy happy. I tried to imagine them having a bad day, being a bit moody or pissed off in their vlogs and I just couldn’t. They’re sunshine and moonbeams 24/7. On the web, anyway.
Anyone watch Tiana on YouTube, I think the account is called toysandme? Basically involves her Dad buying shitloads of toys for her to rate and review and a constant stream of stuff is given to her, including wads of cash and obviously the constant long haul travel. They sometimes upload quite odd videos where they refer to Tiana (who’s about 10) as a bad baby and get her to do bad stuff like make a mess etc...they get so many hits for those uploads, probably why they do it. Anything for a buck eh?

mammyoftwo · 22/03/2018 22:57

What takesplat said.

Issues re child protection, raising narcissistic children and incredibly short sighted financially eg giving up day jobs

theyoniwayisnorthwards · 22/03/2018 23:02

Fruitbowl, she’s got a brand. Instagram is part of that and part of how she supports her family. Honestly I just don’t get the problem, there’s an audience for what’s she’s doing, she’s not hurting anyone, the negativity all seems a bit pointless. Hard to understand why people who find her irritating are bothering to talk about it.

AlistairAppletonssexyscarf · 22/03/2018 23:04

I've never really done Instagram, although I know more than one of the mums mentioned on these threads, much to my surprise. I've found some of the accounts to look at but how do I see the stories? I'm on the iPhone app.

I think it's not on for wider discussion about Instagram and overselling just to become a series of pot shots. Make reasoned criticism, of which there has been plenty, but just hurling insults cheapens the point.

StealingYourWiFi · 22/03/2018 23:07

Don’t forget the Ingham dad and his dodgy hair dye!

AuntMabel · 22/03/2018 23:07

Does everyone rush out and panic buy Farrow and Ball paint or Dorset Cereals whenever the algorithm hunts you down? I've managed to resist the downpipe grey so far...

Just seen Giovanna Fletcher's IG Stories, she has obviously seen some shitty comments made about her somewhere re: baby weight/not always wearing make up. What's that all about? Since when does putting yourself "out there" on IG, or any social platform, give people the automatic right to criticise, belittle and bully anyone, let alone a very lovely pregnant woman?

AdidasGirl · 22/03/2018 23:10

Would this be a good time to mention Saccone Jolys?
Also managed by Gleam.

Fruitbowl2 · 22/03/2018 23:13

Nope sorry northwards I must disagree. MOD said previously she didn't need to work because of FOD's day job. They are clearly minted.

The previous discussions have been a mix of people feeling unfairly sold to by various instamums without full disclosure/concern about the effect on these 'insta kids'/general chit chat about their personalities.

On the first 2 points people are quite entitled to feel they have been 'hurt'/duped and I think it's really important to discuss child safety. As a consequence of these threads and talking to my kids about social media I have deleted all historical pics of them on my accounts and they won't be on them again.

PavlovaPrincess · 22/03/2018 23:14

Since when does putting yourself "out there" on IG, or any social platform, give people the automatic right to criticise, belittle and bully anyone, let alone a very lovely pregnant woman

No one on here has mentioned her so you can rest easy on that front @AuntMabel

Unfortunately, and I agree that sometimes the personal comments go too far, putting yourself out there does mean that, as well as people saying nice things about you, people will also say not very nice things about you too.That's human nature, I'm afraid. I can't think of anyone (apart from myself Wink) who is universally loved. The internet, which has given these people a platform, also gives other people a platform too. They themselves will have to weigh up whether the positives outweigh the negatives.