CryptoChildhoods

WELLcome to Part 3 (of 3) of the "OfflINe Oasis Series,” a series Devoted to discussINg and rememberINg what it means to lead and Live a sanctified Life, IN the age of digital saturation.

Through a nostalgic reflection on the pre-technology era, an exploration of the culture of sharINg Birth story’s onlINe, and a compellINg argument for protectINg and preservINg Children’s INnocence and INtegrity from the omniPresent gaze of social media, thIS series INvites you to question the pervasive (unNatural) norm of overexposINg OneSelf. It encourages you to consider the impact of your digital footprINt on your identity, relationships, and Children.

ThIS thought-provokINg collection delves INto how discretion IS exercised IN today’s INcreasINgly digitized space and IS meant to INspire an INdividual and collective reevaluation of what WE share, how WE share, whom WE share with, wHere WE share, why WE share and the legacy WE leave BEhINd, IN the digital ether.

I’ll start thIS One off by sayINg that, Childhood INnocence IS completely and utterly imperilled IN the World WE Live IN.

PostINg Children on social media IS One of the many Ways WE as a collective have BEen conditioned to exploit said INnocence.

IN a World that vehemently advocates for the importance of consent, it IS perplexINg to witness many / most Parents sharINg photos and videos of their INfants, Baby’s and Children onlINe without their conscious consent. ThIS practice / phenomenon brINgs to Light significant ethical concerns about the construction and Creation of their digital identities and their data double, as WELL as their overAll safety and security at large.

For those of you who have never come across the term data double — a data double IS a digital profile Created from the aggregation and collection of an INdividual's personal data across various platforms and INteractions onlINe. ThIS profile acts as a virtual replica, rePresentINg the person IN the digital World. It IS used to predict BEhaviors, “personalize experiences”, and INform / INfluence decisions made by algorithms, affectINg everythINg from advertisINg to job opportunities. To put it simply, it IS used for extractive and exploitative Purposes.

ThIS digital identity, composed of vast amounts of personal INformation, IS established without the Child's consciousness, comprehension or consent. As they grow older, they Will likely feel violated when they discover the extent of their digital Presence, which was constructed by others on BEhalf of them, durINg their most formative and vulnerable years.

The digital footprINt of modern day Children can BE and IS extensive due to the consistent documentation of their Lives on social media platforms (from the moment they are Born … even CONCEIVED). ThIS repository of data holds personal INformation, INcludINg Birthdates, locations, habits, INterests and so on — the list IS really never-endINg. IN a world wHere data IS currency, Children's data has BEcome a valuable asset. Unfortunately, they have no say IN how their INformation IS collected, shared, and / or monetized, which IS why Parents BEINg more protective and preServative of their privacy IS so vital, valuable and VIRTUOUS.

As aforementioned IN Part 2: Birth BEyond The Lens —

Have you considered the endurINg impact on Generation Alpha (2010 — 2025), aptly dubbed Generation Glass?

Their arrival coINcided with the rise of iPhones (2007), Facebook (2012), Instagram (2016), and TikTok (2017), placINg them at the HeART of an unprecedented Human experiment. ThIS IS a generation whose formative years are deeply INtertwINed with the omniPresence of the INternet.

How Will thIS constant digital immersion (BEfore they are even able to consent) affect their development, their sense of Self, and their INnerstandINg of BElongINg?

Generation Alpha rePresents a crucial turnINg poINt, emBodyINg the first Truly digital natives whose Lives, learnINg, and LEGACIES Will BE just as defINed by their onlINe existence, as their physical One (if not, even more so).

The Spiritual implications of such exposure are yet to BE fully comprehended and revealed. However, it IS critical to ponder how thIS constant digital engagement shapes their Lived experience of privacy and INtimacy.

ThINk about how many Children’s existence, from the very conception of their Life, IS documented, dissected, and dispersed across the digital landscape.

It starts with a photograph of a positive pregnancy test BEINg shared, which IS eventually followed up with a photograph of an ultrasound BEINg shared … and it’s a slippery slope from tHere.

It's especially and specifically disHeARTenINg to observe how often Parents, under the guise of brandINg or business, exploit their Children's Lives onlINe, unwittINgly prioritizINg personal gaIN over Familial privacy and INtegrity. ThIS phenomenon IS particularly prevalent among Women who position themSelves as experts IN Birth, MotHERhood and the like. They commodify their roles as caregivers by effectively usINg their Children as credentials / qualifications, treatINg them as evidence to validate their expertise. ThIS troublINg trend showcases a deep-Rooted narcissism that starkly contradicts the sacrificial and missional Nature of MotHERhood.

MotHERs, swept up IN the digital tide, compulsively broadcast every milestone, mishap, and mundane moment of their Children's existence — treatINg private experiences as public spectacles. ThIS phenomenon IS not about keepINg Family updated; it's a relentless pursuit of validation that perpetuates a cycle of contINuous exposure. ThIS digital footprint IS not just INvasive — it’s INdelible, INformINg how Children perceive and experience themSelves and how they are perceived and experienced by others, long BEfore they have a say IN the matter. The epidemic of "SHARENTING" has taken modern ParentINg INto uncharted and existentially threatenINg territory. ThIS widespread practice not only risks a Child’s privacy — it also exposes them to an unseen World of onlINe threats.

I fINd it astonishINg that thiS needs to BE said, however it clearly does, based on my observation, both past and Present — if you’re usINg an emoji or blur feature to conceal your Child’s private parts IN a photo or video, it’s worth considerINg whether such an image or footage BElongs on the INternet, or on your phone at All.

From what I have observed many MotHERs are thINkINg more about the Present pleasure it brINgs them, rather than the potential paIN it can brINg upon their Child. From what I have observed many MotHERs are more focused on the Present reward it brINgs them, rather than the very real risk it can brINg upon their Child.

The uncomfortable and INconvenient Truth (whether WE like it or not — or admit to it or not) IS that digital spaces harbour a dark reality as they provide a sanctuary wHere pedophiles can operate undetected. Many MotHERs, unaware of the potential dangers, share personal images and details of their Children's Lives, INadvertently exposINg them to onlINe predators. ThIS lack of awareness and the INHERent risks associated with digital exposure are troublINg. The virtual World, unlike a physical neighbourhood, lacks visible and tangible boundaries and often goes unmonitored, makINg it an ideal environment for those with malicious INtent to target the most vulnerable BEINgs — Children. The importance of educatINg Parents about these risks cannot BE overstated, as safeguardINg a Child’s digital footprint IS as crucial as protectINg them IN the physical world.

Geo-taggINg, a feature that attaches geographical identification and INformation to digital content, amplifies the risks associated with sharINg photos and videos of Children onlINe. When Parents upload images with geo-tags, they provide precise location details that can BE, and often are, exploited by ill-INtentioned INdividuals. ThIS practice exposes Children's routINes, schools, playgrounds, and even their Homes to strangers on the INternet.

Why would MotHERs who would never leave their Child unattended IN a public space with strangers readily share INtimate details of their Child's Life on the global WEb, exposINg them to an unseen multitude of eyes?

IN the age of INformation, ignorance IS not an excuse. As I alWays say — ignorance IS not bliss, it IS bondage. WE have the ability to KNOW BEtter and tHerefore to BE and do BEtter.

I hold compassion for everyOne’s consciousness and the Choices that are a by-product of that consciousness AND I AM Here to call people forward (not out) by sayINg the confrontINg, yet crucial thINgs. WE can see people through INnocent eyes, while also NamINg the not so INnocent impacts of their Choices.

If you are readINg thIS and feelINg emotionally triggered or charged, please Know thIS IS not a personal attack on you. INstead it IS a critique on the collective culture that has enabled and normalized thIS BEhavior. ThIS IS a call to action to reconsider your approach to sharINg your Children's Lives onlINe — urgINg a return to and restoration of privacy and sanctity IN their most formative years (somethINg you personally had the luxury of if you WEre Born BEfore the new millennium).

IN an era of ever-Present exposure, wHere the INtricacies and INtimacies of daily Life are INcessantly documented and broadcasted, I advocate for the imperative of establishINg a culture of CRYPTOCHILDHOODS.

ThIS IS an INvitation to hide, IN the noblest sense, Children’s growth, development and maturation from the INsatiable appetite of digital voyeurs who gaIN access and are INvited IN by and through digital exhibitionism. By doINg so, WE allow their INnocence and INtegrity to BE protected and preServed — untouched and untaINted by the ubiquitous gaze of social media.

The etymological Root of "crypto" illumINates the Path toward safeguardINg Children's dignity. Just as cryptography encodes messages to protect their contents, a cryptoChildhood encrypts the precious and Pure moments of their upbrINgINg, accessible only to those directly INvolved and immersed IN the Child's Life. ThIS protective and preServative measure IS not driven by fear; rather, it IS deeply Rooted IN profound respect and reverence for a Child's Birthright to a private, unmediated existence — shielded from the pryINg eyes of an INdiscrimINate audience. It’s a Devotional act that IS an acKnowledgment and affirmation of a Child’s Birthright to a personal History that remaINs INtimately their own.

IN ChoosINg and CreatINg a cryptoChildhood for your Child, you encode the unfoldINg chapters of their Life, much like a protective cipher, allowINg these stories to BE shared with those who have and hold a special place IN that Child’s Life — cherished withIN a tight-knit commUNITY vault. ThIS approach revives a once-familiar experience of privacy that has rapidly BEcome foreign IN our digital age.

I Pray that WE normalize takINg photos of our Children and sharINg them with the people WE Love and care about, the Traditional Way. Analog photographs — not digital photographs. That's somethINg from my Childhood that I deeply Desire to protect, preServe and pass down to my Children. The Tradition of sanctifyINg those Highly formative, INFLUENTIAL, developmental and imprINtINg years by holdINg them EXTRA close to mySelf and to those who only hold us IN Love and who only direct BlessINgs and Prayers our Way, rather than displayINg them as digital trophies from the onset of their Lives. I still have boxes upon boxes upon boxes of these photographs and they are a TRUE TREASURE.

AMEN.

BE sure to tap INto Part 1 and 2 of thIS series, if you haven’t already — THE DIGITAL DELUGE and BIRTH BEYOND THE LENS.