SOUND OFF: Over-Sharing Parents, Beware
Sites mock parents who share "too much" information about their kids on Facebook. What do you think?
It's super exciting that your little toddler piddled in the potty for the first time and you want to share photographic evidence of the moment with all of your friends on Facebook. Well, you might want to reconsider before you hit the "share" button.
There are a slew of websites these days dedicated to informing over-sharing parents that their childless friends are over reading about their kid's crap, literally. Take for instance, the blog ST*U, Parents, a submission-based "public service" blog that pokes fun at parents whose Facebook statuses have been hijacked with inane updates about their children.
The author of the site, known simply as "B," created the blog in 2009 in response to annoying parental over-share posts that popped up in her own Facebook feed. The formula is pretty simple; people anonymously send B screenshots of their friend's absurd updates, she edits the image to remove any identifying marks, and then unleashes snarky commentary under each post.
The blog is a smashing success and covers everything from "Woe is Mom" submissions, where moms use Facebook as a platform to complain to "Mommyjacking" which Urban Dictionary defines as the moment "when a person's conversation/comments/Facebook status is followed up with something about their friend's children, when it has nothing to do with the conversation."
Although it may sound mean spirited, B insists that it's really meant to be all in good fun. "I think my site mocks the worst of the worst - pictures of poop, or parents who just don't know how to edit themselves when describing anything parenting-related," B declared. "I would never begrudge a friend posting about her child taking his first steps, for instance, but maybe if she posted 300 pictures and 17 videos, I would consider that (an) over-share."
Another site that reflects just how fed up people have grown with infant-laden Facebook updates is UnBaby.me, a new Google Chrome extension created by Pete Marquis, Chris Baker and Yvonne Cheng that uses keywords to permanently swap out pictures of babies on your newsfeed with photos of bacon or anything of your choosing. For the most part, UnBaby.me has been well received and in its first week it had already gotten 70,000 "likes" on Facebook and almost 30,000 users.
Critics argue that the popularity of these sites reflect an "anti-parent" message that begrudges happy moms and dads from sharing the most precious moments of their little one's lives. B assures us all that this is simply not the case.
"It's honestly not meant to be mean-spirited. It's meant to be tongue-in-cheek, funny, and maybe a little pointed in its critique of the way some parents use social media," B said. She also feels that even though her site focuses on parents, everyone can be guilty of over-sharing sometimes, not just parents.
"However, I can promise that no one will ever see a picture of poop on my page, which is more than the parents featured on my site can say."
Are you guilty of over-sharing about your kids on Facebook? Do you find these sites offensive or funny? Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.
Dee Dubleyoo
12:40 pm on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
These sites are awesome. Wish I thought of it myself. I'm torn though - I do think people share too much, in general - whether it's kids, pets, their own personal bathroom (or bedroom, yikes!) habits. At the same time, their posts amuse me highly, so I want them to keep it up.
Jim Rizoli
12:47 pm on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
All these data carrying websites are there to monitor you, and all the things you do for future use. If that is what you want to be part of then good luck.
If you value your privacy you might want to think about them.
Jim@cfiile.com
Charlie Schnapps
12:47 pm on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
People who think these sites are mean-spirited need to get over themselves.
Chris L.
2:17 pm on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
here's a fun one that no one should be too offended at...maybe:
www.dog-shaming.com
Susan Manning
2:17 pm on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Chris: I love that dog-shaming.com site!
Kim Poness
2:39 pm on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Chris: re: dog-shaming.com - I just laughed so hard I couldn't catch my breath!!!!
Chris L.
2:54 pm on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
There are some "off-color" ones, but if you put it in the context of dogs, you can't help but laugh
Observer
3:48 pm on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
There is also this one (warning: rude language): http://antibaby.com/
Northborough Resident
7:34 am on Wednesday, August 29, 2012
I have a Custom List on Facebook for those individuals on my Friends' List that would be interested in my kids' lives -- family, grandparents, other friends with kids, some childless friends who actually like my children. My colleagues and old school pals don't need to read all that... The other nifty thing is called "Unsubcribe" -- if you don't want to read the updates, don't have them in your NewsFeed. However, there are definitely things that are inappropriate and off-limits as it is still a "public" forum.
Northborough Resident
7:34 am on Wednesday, August 29, 2012
The sites are pretty funny and definitely true of what I've seen on FB.
Cobber
11:03 am on Thursday, August 30, 2012
This is the most number of posts I have see on any Patch article so I think the author hit upon a relevant topic that readers appreciate! Keep up the good work!