Inside the exploitative, cynical, money-fueled world of mommy influencers
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By Hailey Eber
Published on April 12, 2026.
The world of mommy influencers is becoming notorious for exploiting their children's private moments for online content, according to author Fortesa Latifi's new book, "Like, Follow, Subscribe: Influencer Kids and the Cost of a Childhood Online". The book reveals that sick or sad children's content often earns parents the most money. Past scandals, like the Stauffer family’s adoption reversal, highlight the ethical implications of child exploitation. The author argues that unwell children typically perform well online, regardless of their health or embarrassment. Despite this, Jamie Otis, a reality TV regular-turned-influencer, initially recorded the seizure to show her child's doctor and posted it to educate and inform other parents. Julie Jeppson, a single Mormon mom-of-eight with 214,000 followers on her YouTube channel, "TheBigFamilyJewels," also shares her thoughts about the exploitation of her children. The book also criticizes the amount of money in the mom influencer and family vlogging world, which is expected to reach $500 trillion by 2027.
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