There’s an old expression about not believing everything you hear.
It’s often hard not to believe what we can actually see with our own eyes, but sadly, the days of fake news and sensationalized social media posts make us call all that into question.
Now one family is receiving backlash for some social media posts that have followers questioning their intentions.
Most of us try to shield our children from inappropriate content online and are careful to monitor what our children are doing on their social media accounts.
But with teens, it can be a bit more difficult, and this generation has grown up with the constant buzz of communication and attention that social media brings.
There are multiple young people who have gained fame and fortune by attracting their peers as followers on social media, whether by discussing topics of interest or sharing their talents.
One of these social media “stars” is a young teen girl named Danielle Cohn. She started her social media “career” by sharing her talent and love for music on the app Musical.ly after winning the Miss Florida Junior Pre-teen contest in 2014.
She attracted a lot of attention and followers and soon was all over social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube. But her videos soon turned from music to an absurd series of performances to draw in viewers.
Danielle is reported to be 15 years old, but no one has ever verified her age, and she began to user her social media presence to recount normal teenage experiences like dating and peer pressure.
But it’s a recent series of posts that have viewers questioning what we can really believe on social media and what is drawing teens to this virtual world full of falsehoods.
Danielle recently posted a video of herself and her 16-year-old boyfriend on her YouTube page. They were not going to a dance or the movies – they were getting married in Las Vegas, by an Elvis impersonator no less.
Then came a video of the couple sharing an ultrasound image and announcing that Danielle was four months pregnant. She also shared a photo of her growing tummy with the couple’s hands joined together at the doctor’s office.
But here’s where things take a disturbing turn.
First of all, anyone under the age of 16 must obtain a court order to get married in the state of Nevada – and the state has no record of such an order being handed down.
Then, viewers began to notice something in the “doctor’s office” photos in the pregnancy post. Some posted that they could see “DDS” in the background in what appeared to be a dentist’s office.
Others said the ultrasound image was of a baby much further along than four months, and that this image could have easily been found online.
To top it off, all of these posts are “monetized,” meaning that they generate income for Danielle with the sale of paid ads on her channel.
Viewers were furious that this young girl would use her popularity to not only lie about her experiences, but to use serious adult situations as clickbait.
But here’s the real shocker.
Jennifer Cohn is Danielle’s mother and “manages” the teen’s social media presence and so-called career.
Danielle’s posts are full of photos of her in skimpy clothing, looking much older than her 15 years – and a wedding and pregnancy at that age? Well, it’s hard to imagine that would not be an upsetting scenario for a mother.
Jennifer confirmed the wedding was all a hoax in order to get views and said, “It was a YouTube video like most YouTube people do for clickbait. She committed to her best friend in Vegas … legally they can’t get married,” according to Buzzfeed.
But she did not comment on her daughter’s “pregnancy.”
So why on Earth would any mother allow their young child to post videos about such mature topics?
Why wouldn’t this mother realize that other teens may look to Danielle as a role model and not stop to think that encouraging pre-marital sex and teen pregnancy were a bad idea?
Well, as with many things, it probably comes down to money.
Following the Miss Florida pageant, Danielle Cohn began modeling and was signed to a two-year contract with a modeling agency.
She has worked with well-known brands that appeal to teens, such as Juicy Couture, and even has her own online store selling all sorts of merchandise marketing her “celebrity” and her platforms on social media.
It is estimated that she rakes in nearly $400,000 a year on the high end, more than most adults will ever make annually after years of hard work.
Some of her videos have garnered nearly ten million views, and many are sponsored, so Danielle and Jennifer seem to be raking in a decent income from her antics.
With the marriage and pregnancy posts, viewers were not only outraged that this child was allowed to post misleading videos purely for profit, they were disgusted at the implications for her followers.
Some users were angry for women who have difficulty conceiving, saying that a fake teenage pregnancy to attract attention is like a slap in the face to real women who desperately want children.
“If this is a prank, it’s so disrespectful for the women out there who cannot have kids. So hurtful, disrespectful, and just plain up terrible,” said one, according to Café Mom.
Others reminded the couple – and her mother – that social media personalities can be real role models to teenagers, and that this type of nonsense is harmful for Danielle’s young followers.
There has been a call for her fans to unsubscribe and unfollow Danielle Cohn’s social media platforms – and an alert for parents to make sure their teens are not among the millions who view her videos.
It is bad enough that our kids are subjected to indoctrination and propaganda from our increasingly progressive culture where traditional values are fading.
The last thing we need is for other young teens to be promoting irresponsible behavior well beyond their years in the name of profit and attention.
Danielle Cohn may not be old enough to understand the consequences of what she posts online.
She may not understand the dangers of showing off her body to millions of people every day.
She may not understand that she is hitting a raw nerve with adults who have far more life experience than she does.
But her mother, Jennifer Cohn, should know better.
It is sad, indeed, that she is encouraging her daughter’s behavior so that she can turn a profit. She’s not only sending the wrong message to teens, but she’s supporting dangerous behavior that could have serious implications.
Have you heard of Danielle Cohn, or are your teens followers on any of her social media platforms? Do you think her mother should stop the madness? Leave us your thoughts.