You’ll do anything for your baby. Algorithms know how to exploit that.
You’ll do anything for your baby. Algorithms know how to exploit that.
- September 22, 2026
- Nina Bandelj, sociology, shares insight with The Washington Post and The 19th
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In the mega-consumption era of parenthood, the internet tells new moms that products can solve the hardest parts of having a newborn. All they have to do is add to cart. … Nina Bandelj, author of “Overinvested: The Emotional Economy of Modern Parenting,” said that for mothers, every little buying decision can feel like a reflection of who they are as parents. “These moves and purchases are entangled in both: We do something for our children, but aren’t we also thinking, ‘What will make me a good parent? What shoulda good parent do? What will others say? What do others do?’” she said.“ The industry is good at emphasizing and playing on all of those.” And the marketing starts in the most fragile, tender period for a young family.
For the full story, please visit The Washington Post or The 19th.
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