You’ve heard the phrase: “It’s not official until it’s on Facebook.” Well, now this phrase does not only apply to dating, but can be used for when you’re announcing you’re expecting as well. Recently, Facebook augmented its “Friends and Family” settings to allow users to add an “Expected: Child” to their listed family members. Additionally, users can insert a name for the new, little one and select an expected due date.
Facebook made no official announcement about the updated feature, which left users to discover the change on their own. From discussion across the Internet, people have assumed the change is meant as a way to discourage parents from making low-activity profiles for their children, especially unborn ones.
Currently, the age limit for Facebook is set to 13 years old, which is a debate in and among itself, so this maneuver is seen as a way to prevent parents from creating another profile and to preserve the privacy of the young and uneducated. However, this change does not allow any interaction with the baby online and only provides the display of another piece of data on the parent’s profile.
The idea of inhibiting profile creation seems unfounded, however, as parents, family, or friends cannot click on the baby, let along tag pictures of it. If parents wanted to provide this interaction for their unborn baby, they are left with no other option than to make another profile.
I see this modification’s purpose more as a way to announce one’s pregnancy: simple as that. But, those who choose to utilize the new feature for this purpose best make sure to consider some warnings.
If something goes wrong with the pregnancy, for example, the announcement via Facebook could make for an even more challenging and heartbreaking experience.
Explaining the loss only to close friends who knew is much easier than having to explain it to dozens of others via the Internet as well. Also, some might use the feature without thinking of who might see the change. Unfavorable consequences could result if current employers, future employers, exes, and even close friends find out through Facebook.
Lastly, another interesting purpose for the feature update could be a marketing ploy to target expecting parents with advertisements.
There would be no better way for advertisers to reach their audience than on Facebook when the parents are announcing their expected baby.
