Digital parents are middle-aged content creators who speak directly to viewers as though they were their children, offering praise, comfort and everyday life advice

The emotional needs of young people, particularly Generation Z (Gen Z), are evolving rapidly. In China, a growing number of young people are finding comfort in a new social media phenomenon known as “digital parents”: volunteer online creators who offer the warmth, reassurance and emotional support many feel is missing from their real-life parents. 

What are digital parents?

 The concept of digital parents revolves around middle-aged social media creators who assume the role of caring mothers and fathers online, providing emotional support, encouragement and a sense of belonging to young followers. 

For many followers, these virtual parents offer the emotional support and validation they feel is lacking in their relationships with their real-life parents. The videos present an idealised picture of middle-class family life and particularly resonate with young people who feel they did not receive similar emotional care while growing up. 

Digital parents’ accounts attracting millions

 The trend has gained traction on platforms such as Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, and lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu. 

According to the South China Morning Post, one of the most popular examples is the Douyin account @Henverfenxiangrichang, translated as “Sharing Daily Life With Daughter”. The account amassed 1.2 million followers in less than six months. It features a middle-aged couple sharing details of their daily lives while affectionately addressing followers as their “daughters and sons”.

In many videos, the couple speaks directly to the camera as if talking to their own children. They encourage viewers not to worry, remind them to stay healthy and reassure them during difficult periods. While the videos often resemble ordinary video calls between parents and children, they attract extensive engagement in comment sections. 

Another popular example is the Xiaohongshu account @Xiaolinmama, whose creator teaches household chores while presenting herself as “mum”. According to media reports, some young Chinese followers referred to their real-life parents as “cousin parents” while calling their digital influencers “mum” and “dad”. 

Why are digital parents becoming popular?

Media reports suggest that many young Chinese turn to digital parents because they feel unable to discuss personal struggles with their own families. Some say they do not feel emotionally close enough to their parents, while others avoid sharing problems because they do not want to worry them. 

According to a 2018 Unicef report on China, 26.6 per cent of children under the age of 18 experienced physical abuse, 19.6 per cent experienced emotional abuse and 26 per cent faced parental neglect. 

Explaining the rise of digital parents, Dr Samant Darshi, consultant psychiatrist and director at Psymate Healthcare said many members of Generation Z feel emotionally disconnected from their parents because of academic pressure, long working hours and communication gaps. “Digital parents give immediate attention, empathy, and validation without criticism,” he said. 

Several studies have also found that depression among children and adolescents in China has increased significantly in recent years. Experts attribute this to intense academic pressure, rigid educational expectations and wider socio-economic changes. “Youth want to feel understood, supported, and have a conversation with their caregivers. In traditional families, it was more about success and discipline; in the Gen Z family, it means emotional openness, psychological health, and relationships which take into account their issues and personal experiences,” Darshi said. 

Mental health experts caution that while digital parents may provide temporary comfort, overreliance on virtual relationships can have drawbacks. 

Dr Trideep Choudhury, consultant psychiatrist at Fortis ADAYU, said prolonged dependence on digital platforms for emotional support could hinder social and emotional development. “Prolonged dependence on the digital world for family support need can be detrimental as such media have their own limitations as these people are devoid of real human touch and conversations. The digital world cannot teach us real-life experiences. Learning to respond and empathise with real human emotions is reduced, emotional development is poorer and coping with different situations is weaker because there is no real-world learning,” he said. 

Could India also witness the rise of digital parents?

As digital platforms continue to reshape social relationships, experts believe similar trends could emerge elsewhere, including in India. 

“Of course, the same pattern can arise in India as well due to rising urbanisation, nuclear families, pressure from education, and the rise in social networking sites. Many youths already resort to seeking comfort through the Internet. Nevertheless, the impact will be delayed since strong bonds with family and community will continue to play an important role,” said Dr Darshi. 

The digital parents phenomenon reflects how rapidly technology is advancing and is capable of altering traditional parent-child relationships by creating new forms of emotional connection in the digital world.