Pros and Cons of Internet Adoption Profiles
Issues for Adoptive Parents Advertising on YouTube and Websites
Oct 21, 2009
The Internet has greatly affected how people all over the world connect with one another, and it is also a powerful vehicle for advertising. For potential adoptive parents, adoption profile websites allow them to connect with birthmothers by advertising their desire to adopt a child.
When considering an adoption plan for her baby, a birthmother will often turn to the Internet for help. Although she is generally looking for information about her options and adoption professionals, she may also be interested in seeing details of prospective adoptive parents. This is what potential adoptive parents hope for and why many post adoption profiles on Waiting Parent Registries and YouTube. There are, however, both benefits and risks to posting adoption profile videos and photos on-line.
Why Adoptive Parents Should Post Profiles on Websites
Becoming more common and often encouraged by adoption agencies, posting adoption profiles on the Internet is a matter of personal choice. Some prospective adoptive parents look at the advertising of themselves as an important part of the adoption process and here is why.
- Adoption profile videos and Waiting Parent Registries make adoptive parents more visible to a wider audience.
- Interviews on adoption profile videos give more detail about the prospective parents and allow birthparents to see their personalities.
- Adoption profiles posted on the Internet let birthmothers search for adoptive parents anonymously without a commitment to an agency or professional.
Aside from the obvious advertising potential, creating an adoption profile for a website also gives adoptive parents something they can control in a process in which they have little say and helps them feel like they are getting closer to their goal of becoming parents.
Concerns About Posting Adoption Profiles on the Internet
As with any information shared through websites, there are risks associated with posting personal details on Waiting Parent Registries and adoption profile videos. To post an adoption profile on the Internet, prospective adoptive parents need to be comfortable with:
- Their personal life story being on display for the world to see, including the media.
- Possible unwanted contact by the general public via the websites, e-mails and phone numbers included in the profile.
- The credibility of the website the profile is being posted on and any fees pertaining to the service.
For adoptive parents who are fine with the risks of posting their adoption profile on websites, there are businesses such as Adopt Profiles who will help future adoptive parents create adoption profiles and post them on a website.
Issues to Consider Before Posting an Adoption Profile on a Website
Using YouTube and adoption websites to advertise adoptive parents is a sign of the times but not everyone sees the advantages of posting adoption profiles on the Internet. As a result, adoptive parents may experience negativity from others as there is a public perception that any kind of adoption advertising, especially on the Internet, is an exploitation of children and their families.
If prospective adoptive parents choose to post an adoption profile on YouTube or an adoption-related website they need to be aware of the pros and cons of doing so. By putting themselves in the public eye, adoptive parents may have to be extra cautious, but they may also connect with the person who will make their dream of becoming parents possible.
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