"Aura farming" is a viral trend popular among teenagers that consists of creating situations to appear "cool" or accumulate online popularity. However, when this trend involves children, the phenomenon takes on more complex dimensions and raises significant ethical questions.
The visibility that a child can gain on the internet through these trends is not always desired or consented to. Often, it is their peers who turn a child into a meme, without the child having chosen to become publicly known.
This dynamic exposes children to a digital exposure that escapes the control of parents and guardians. Once content becomes viral, it is practically impossible to control its dissemination or ensure that the child understands the long-term consequences.
The article warns that behind the humorous appearance of memes, there are real children whose images and identities are shared without their consent, raising questions about privacy, consent and protection in the digital age.
