One woman revealed the mortifying aftermath of her daughter's accidental Instagram Live broadcast—and it appears that the clip has resonated with viewers. Posted on TikTok late last month by a user known as "Brianna," the video, found here, has been viewed over 334,000 times, racking up tens of thousands of likes and hundreds of comments.
The incident highlights how, thanks to the ease of modern technology, parents today face obstacles that have never before been an issue—and that adjusting to these aspects of life still results in the occasional snafu.
"I think so many of us mothers are looking to feel less alone in the chaos of parenting and sharing stories like this really helps us to connect with each other," explained Brianna to Newsweek.
In the video, Brianna uses on-screen captions to tell the unfortunate, yet hilarious, tale. She first explains that she was going to take a shower, so she gave her toddler her cell phone to play a game—specifically, it was a "preschool learning game" that the toddler "plays often."
"Next thing I know she is knocking on my door asking me to help her fix something," explained Brianna, adding that she told her daughter to come into the bathroom so she could help.
That's where things take a turn. "She hands me the phone while I am in the shower," said the TikToker. "I quickly realize that my phone is broadcasting LIVE on Instagram. In my hand. While I am in the shower."
In a conversation with Newsweek, Brianna added that, in the moment, she "realized...and hit the delete button fairly quickly."
"I honestly don't know how many people [actually] viewed it," she said. However, amid the chaos, she did see the name of one person she knew viewing the livestream. Upon messaging that viewer, Brianna learned that her child had been playing the app's filters "for a couple moments" prior to the incident. "I responded so quickly that she really only got a glimpse of my face, thankfully," said Brianna.
While the situation was certainly an improbable and unfortunate accident, the response to Brianna's video suggested that her experience is far from isolated. "I think anytime you post something about parenting you are making yourself vulnerable to criticism but aside from some expected criticism the response has been [overwhelmingly] positive," said the TikToker.
The video quickly gained attention on the app, as parents flooded the comments section with similar stories from their own families—many of which were just as funny.
"My niece ordered 158 parfaits from McDonald's through Uber Eats," wrote @allieekat13 in a top-liked comment.
"My foster son who was [eight] at the time spent $6k on GoPros on Amazon," commented @hellocassi.
"Mine called 911 multiple times," added @laneylune. "Mortified and never left him unattended with even an old phone again."
Several viewers also offered practical solutions so Brianna wouldn't encounter a similar issue in the future. "Hear me out," wrote @cierramoore7. "Have a game that doesn't use WiFi and turn your phone on airplane mode while they have it."
Countless more suggested that Brianna use "Guided Access," a feature on smartphones that limits use to a single app—meaning that her daughter won't be able to switch apps when playing an educational game.
Others, meanwhile, called the situation their "actual worst nightmare."
As TikToker @saraharaujo6984 summed up the situation: "Our parents had no way to prepare us for parenting in these times."
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