Managing authenticity in a kidfluencers’ world : a qualitative study with kidfluencers and their parents
- Author
- Elisabeth Van den Abeele (UGent) , Liselot Hudders (UGent) and Ini Vanwesenbeeck (UGent)
- Organization
- Project
- Abstract
- Though kidfluencer marketing is becoming more prevalent, research into children as senders of commercial messages is scarce. Considering the roles of parents, followers and commercial partners, this study is the first to conceptualise and explore kidfluencers’ authenticity management. 19 in-depth interviews with kidfluencers (aged 7–12 years) and their parents show that kidfluencer profiles are not an authentic representation of the children’s true digital selves, but rather a representation of how parents wish to present their children’s digital identities. This is achieved by parents balancing their own wishes against those of their children, followers and commercial parties. A privacy (openness) paradox thereby occurs and parents undertake measures in attempt to guard against the potential risks.
- Keywords
- Authenticity, children, influencer marketing, kidfluencer, privacy paradox, privacy, social media
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Citation
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication: http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-01HMV7CFWNED4WGM2VK7VS00MS
- MLA
- Van den Abeele, Elisabeth, et al. “Managing Authenticity in a Kidfluencers’ World : A Qualitative Study with Kidfluencers and Their Parents.” NEW MEDIA & SOCIETY, vol. 27, no. 6, 2025, pp. 3240–63, doi:10.1177/14614448231222558.
- APA
- Van den Abeele, E., Hudders, L., & Vanwesenbeeck, I. (2025). Managing authenticity in a kidfluencers’ world : a qualitative study with kidfluencers and their parents. NEW MEDIA & SOCIETY, 27(6), 3240–3263. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448231222558
- Chicago author-date
- Van den Abeele, Elisabeth, Liselot Hudders, and Ini Vanwesenbeeck. 2025. “Managing Authenticity in a Kidfluencers’ World : A Qualitative Study with Kidfluencers and Their Parents.” NEW MEDIA & SOCIETY 27 (6): 3240–63. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448231222558.
- Chicago author-date (all authors)
- Van den Abeele, Elisabeth, Liselot Hudders, and Ini Vanwesenbeeck. 2025. “Managing Authenticity in a Kidfluencers’ World : A Qualitative Study with Kidfluencers and Their Parents.” NEW MEDIA & SOCIETY 27 (6): 3240–3263. doi:10.1177/14614448231222558.
- Vancouver
- 1.Van den Abeele E, Hudders L, Vanwesenbeeck I. Managing authenticity in a kidfluencers’ world : a qualitative study with kidfluencers and their parents. NEW MEDIA & SOCIETY. 2025;27(6):3240–63.
- IEEE
- [1]E. Van den Abeele, L. Hudders, and I. Vanwesenbeeck, “Managing authenticity in a kidfluencers’ world : a qualitative study with kidfluencers and their parents,” NEW MEDIA & SOCIETY, vol. 27, no. 6, pp. 3240–3263, 2025.
@article{01HMV7CFWNED4WGM2VK7VS00MS,
abstract = {{Though kidfluencer marketing is becoming more prevalent, research into children as senders of commercial messages is scarce. Considering the roles of parents, followers and commercial partners, this study is the first to conceptualise and explore kidfluencers’ authenticity management. 19 in-depth interviews with kidfluencers (aged 7–12 years) and their parents show that kidfluencer profiles are not an authentic representation of the children’s true digital selves, but rather a representation of how parents wish to present their children’s digital identities. This is achieved by parents balancing their own wishes against those of their children, followers and commercial parties. A privacy (openness) paradox thereby occurs and parents undertake measures in attempt to guard against the potential risks.}},
author = {{Van den Abeele, Elisabeth and Hudders, Liselot and Vanwesenbeeck, Ini}},
issn = {{1461-4448}},
journal = {{NEW MEDIA & SOCIETY}},
keywords = {{Authenticity,children,influencer marketing,kidfluencer,privacy paradox,privacy,social media}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{6}},
pages = {{3240--3263}},
title = {{Managing authenticity in a kidfluencers’ world : a qualitative study with kidfluencers and their parents}},
url = {{http://doi.org/10.1177/14614448231222558}},
volume = {{27}},
year = {{2025}},
}
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