Family Vlogging: A Tool to Earn Money or a Threat to Privacy?

In a world where likes and followers define success, the price of social media fame may be higher than you think- your privacy. Behind the perfect posts and viral moments, many people unknowingly give up their personal space for temporary online attention.

Introduction

In today’s digital world, social media fame is something many people dream of, offering instant recognition, money, and a platform to showcase talents. However, behind the popularity and success, there is a hidden downside- the loss of privacy. As influencers and content creators become famous, they often have to share more of their personal lives online. This growing trend of oversharing brings up open concerns about how much privacy is worth in a world that’s always connected.

Social Media Careers in Pakistan: Pros and Cons

In Pakistan, the job market has become increasingly challenging for young people, with limited career options and opportunities. Many jobs offer low salaries and long working hours, making it hard for young people to meet their needs. In some cases, there is a lack of proper training and support to help people get better jobs. This has led many to turn to social media platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram to make a living. Becoming a content creator or influencer is now seen as an attractive alternative to traditional employment. There are both pros and cons to this path.

On the positive side, social media offers a flexible way to earn money, often with less pressure than conventional jobs. Content creators can choose their niche based on their interests, whether showcasing artwork, crafts, motivational speaking, roasting, critiquing, or entertainment. These platforms provide endless possibilities for those who want to turn their passion into a profession. However, there are significant drawbacks. It can be unstable as income depends heavily on followers, views, and trends that can change quickly. There is also intense competition; standing out in a crowded space can be hard. For some, exposure from the public can lead to mental health issues, as they face criticism or harassment online. Moreover, success on these platforms can be fleeting, as trends change rapidly, and staying relevant requires ongoing creativity and adaptability.

Some people have chosen a completely different path on social media by focusing on vlogging, especially family vlogging. Initially, there were very few people doing vlogs, but now it become a trend. Social media content creation, especially vlogging, often invades personal and family privacy. To gain more views and followers, people share private moments like family events, arguments, or even their children’s daily activities. This exposes private details to the public and can affect family members. Children who may not fully understand the consequences, especially are affected. The pressure to stay popular leads many to share too much, turning their personal lives into content for others. This invasion of privacy can lead to online criticism, and harassment, and impact relationships and mental health.

The Price of Social Media Fame

Once people enter the world of social media, they quickly become celebrities with many fans. This fame can be very addictive, making them feel special and important. As they gain more followers, they start to crave more attention every day. If they lose followers or views, they can feel frustrated, anxious, or even depressed. This pushes them to come up with new ideas and get their old followers back along even more fame. Many female vloggers, especially in Pakistan, start by hiding their faces or using voiceovers.

When Tiktokers do face reveal, they face harsh criticism, including:

• You are more beautiful than your voice.
• She is just an ordinary girl.
• Her voice was better.
• You look completely different from what I imagined.
• You should have kept your face hidden.

Many social media influencers, especially female Tiktokers like Minahil Malik, and Zarnab, have used controversial tactics to gain attention. For example, they intentionally leaked videos at key moments, such as before a song release or an important announcement. This strategy helps them go viral and attract more views, keeping them relevant in the fast-moving world of social media.

“Modern societies have become terribly sick.” [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8JQ1Gx5aQQ]

Many influencers like Ducky Bhai and Aqeel share intimate details about their personal lives, especially their relationships with their wives. Ducky Bhai posts videos of his wife shopping, eating, traveling, and dealing with mood swings. Aqeel calls his wife “Shahzadi”, and makes content on her. The issue is not how they show love, but how they publicly share their private moments. This can make people uncomfortable and may lead to unrealistic expectations.

By showcasing their luxurious lifestyles and constant affiliation, they unintentionally create feelings of inferiority among viewers, particularly women who cannot afford similar things or experiences. This can put unnecessary pressure on relationships, as seen in shoes like “Jannat ky Aagy” [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jannat_Se_Aagay], and Bismil [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33343030], where glamour and media create false fantasies for middle-class girls. It ultimately distorts reality and can lead to disappointment or dissatisfaction in their own lives.

Shahnaz Parveen’s Jannat ky Aagy is a drama about middle-class people, especially young women, who dream of leaving their lifestyle and living in luxury. Some try to improve their situation through hard work, but only a few succeed. Many others take shortcuts, like trying to marry a rich person as happened in Bismil, or looking for quick-money jobs. These choices often lead to problems. The drama also shows how social media, especially influencers and vloggers show off their rich lifestyle. As a result, middle-class girls want the same glamorous life.

The Hidden Truth of Family Vlogging

Family vloggers, too, portray an idealized image, focusing on love, surprises, and gifts, while ignoring the real struggles, arguments, or imperfect moments in their relationships. By only showcasing the positive side, they create unrealistic expectations for others, making their lives seem like a fantasy that viewers try to imitate. When they suddenly announce some bad news, like divorce, people criticize them, especially women, assuming they are unhappy or dissatisfied with their partner. By only showing the good moments and not the struggles, content creators create unrealistic expectations, leading to online criticism. While sharing their daily lives helps viewers feel connected to them, hiding important aspects can negatively affect both the viewers and the creators, resulting in harsh judgment.

Similar to what happened with Queen Daro, who always shared happy moments with her husband, when they suddenly announced their divorce, people criticized her due to misogynistic views as I discussed in my previous blog [https://contropulse.com/the-impact-of-influential-figures-on-gender-norms-and-marital-practices-a-critical-examination/]. This criticism is rooted in societal norms and misogynistic attitudes, which issues that women are responsible for maintaining the facade of a perfect family. This led to a huge backlash and online criticism. This shows that when content creators only showcase certain aspects of their lives and hide the rest, they can face significant backlash and judgment from their audience.

This can lead to a cycle of unrealistic expectations, harsh judgment, and pressure that harms both influencers and their followers. It creates feelings of failure and insecurity, especially among young people who believe that these influencers’ lives are the norm. Ultimately, it encourages shallow values and makes people focus too much on materialism and perfection while ignoring the real challenges that come with relationships and marriages.

Family vlogging might look fun, but it can have serious negative effects on the children involved. Take the story of a 23-year-old woman who grew up as a part of a family vlog. Her parents started vlogging in 2013 after a video of her brother went viral. She was a shy child and did not like the idea of being in front of the camera, but her parents pushed her and her siblings to be a part of it. At their peak, her parents had two million subscribers. The main viewers were mostly adult men, and their content was made to appeal to them. This made the children’s lives public and very uncomfortable. To avoid outside distractions, the family was home-schooled.

What the audience did not know was that behind the camera, the family had big problems. Her dad was abusive towards her mom, and they argued a lot. Eventually, the channel ended when the parents divorced. The money they made was spent on vacations and things that did not involve their kids. The girl felt betrayed because her parents sued her life for fame and lost her privacy. Her story shows the harmful side of family vlogging: taking away children’s privacy and turning their lives into content for privacy. You can read her full story here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueOffMyChest/comments/1fdmyqa/my_parents_were_family_vloggers_it_ruined_my_life/?rdt=61638]

Family Vlogging Leading to Dowry Pressure

In today’s world, social media and family vlogs have a big influence on people’s thoughts and expectations, especially when it comes to traditions like dowry. Dowry is a custom in many cultures where the bride’s family gives money, gifts, or property to the groom’s family. When girls watch vlogs that show how some families give expensive dowries or luxurious gifts, they can feel insecure or pressured. If their own family cannot afford such things, they may feel like they are not good enough. This also affects parents, who might feel the need to meet these high expectations, even if they cannot afford it. They may end up putting themselves in financial difficulty just to keep up with what they see in their vlogs.

In-laws also play a big role. In some cases, they demand expensive gifts, or dowries from their daughter-in-law’s families, wanting to match the lavish displays seen online. This can lead to ongoing pressure and disappointment for everyone involved. As Aimen mentioned in her blog [https://contropulse.com/unpacking-the-tradition-of-dowry-in-contemporary-era-in-pakistani-society/], the pressure to provide an expensive dowry can harm both the girls and their parents. For the girls, it makes them feel like their value is tied to the size of their dowry. For parents, it causes stress and financial burden. These expectations turn marriage into a materialistic exchange rather than something built on love and connection.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while social media fame can bring recognition and money, it comes at the cost of privacy. Influencers, especially in Pakistan, often share too much of their personal lives to stay popular, which creates an image of perfection that viewers try to copy. The need to stay relevant can cause mental health issues, public criticism, and a constant need for validation. In the end, the focus on social media fame, materialism, and perfection can distort reality and take away from the true value of family, love, and personal growth.

References