Young Chinese from loveless families find solace in ‘digital parents’ who treat them like their own, showing care, sharing daily activities online
- Online couples pose as caring parents, treat strangers as their children
- Unloved youngsters take work, study problems to cyber mums and dads
Young people in China who grew up in loveless families have found a new welcoming home online, thanks to a group of social media accounts that act as volunteer “digital parents”.
A Douyin account using the name @Henverfenxiangrichang, translated in English as “sharing daily life with daughter”, has amassed 1.2 million followers in less than six months.
In a range of videos, a smiling, middle-aged couple share their daily activities and tell their followers – whom they affectionately address as “daughters and sons”– to not worry and stay happy and healthy.
On one occasion, they imagined their “children” were feeling unhappy about their studies or work and tried to encourage them with pep talks, or pretend to have transferred them money to reassure them.
The videos appear to be nothing more than an ordinary video call between parents and children, but they attracted many to interact with the account in the comment section.
