The mother of TikTok toddler influencer Wren Eleanor has finally spoken out following criticisms and rumors over her daughter's safety on the internet.
Known only as Jacquelyn, the mother addressed the issues by stating that she conferred with law enforcement agencies and found no evidence or proof that her toddler's images were on any "inappropriate websites." She said she didn't know how the rumors started.
Jacquelyn said that the assumptions about her daughter's popular TikTok account caused a lot of distress when she only wanted a digital scrapbook to document her child, per Chronicle Live. She did not intend to turn Wren's TikTok into a popular account with more than 17 million followers or make materials for pedophiles.
The majority of Wren's followers are women
The mom said that their TikTok analytics show that more than 76 percent of their followers are women. Thus, she could not understand how some people assumed Wren was sexualized or her videos attracted online predators.
This was in response to the observation that the TikTok account showed the number of videos saved by its followers. According to the New York Post, internet sleuths started analyzing Wren's online presence to determine the alleged abnormal activities. They also noted that the account's most popular video was of Wren eating hotdogs or pickles or that her most popular search was "Wren scandalous outfit," which has been deleted. They took this to mean that her audience sexualized her.
@hashtagfacts #fyp #wren #protectourkids #protectthekids #itsnotokay #nottoday #nottodaysatan ♬ original sound - j e s s i c a
It reached a point where moms started deleting videos and photos of their daughters online for fear that they could become targets like the TikTok toddler influencer. One mom said that Wren's case highlighted how much "sick people in the world" proliferated the internet.
However, Jacqueline further explained that she and concerned family members got in touch with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the FBI because of the noise on social media. These government agencies confirmed to the mom that her Wren's images and videos were safe.
Jacqueline also called out the "rumor-spreaders" who supposedly said they were concerned for Wren but could not provide evidence of their assumptions, including allegations that Wren appears on a pornography site.
Jacqueline sees one good thing about the Wren controversy
The mother said, however, that she commended the moms who had to rethink what they share on the internet because of the rumors about her daughter. She only asks that the mom shaming stop because her parenting style is very different from every mother out there.
Jacqueline said that as a single mother, she's grateful that Wren's TikTok has been getting some traction which helps support their lifestyle. But, as with any mom, her child will always be her number one priority, including her online safety. She's also thankful her daughter is unaware of the controversy around her popularity and said she's a happy and well-adjusted child.
Meanwhile, Jasmine Hood Miller of Common Sense Media told ABC News that parents should think twice about jumping on the bandwagon and posting their children's digital footprint. Some kids might not want their potty training documented online for all the world to see and their friends to find when they are older.
