Is the 'lonely kid' content phenomenon heart-warming or exploitative?

Daniel Harrison, who has autism, went viral on his 15th birthday because he had no friends. Daniel's dad Kev posted about it on the platform formerly known as Twitter, asking people to wish Daniel a happy birthday, and the post went nuts.

It seems strange that zero people showed up on the day, and it's a story that some thought was staged by Lex to get attention on social media, but this hasn't been proven. It does create a challenge, though, when the public start to smell a rat when parents share a heartfelt plea to help their child. Are some ruining it for those who are truly trying to help their child?

Kev says when he shared his request for friends on Daniel's birthday, he was trying to help his son, but also to raise awareness of some issues kids with autism face. Kev continues to share how life with Daniel is going – the good, the bad, and the challenging – and he identifies as an 'autism influencer'.

As for accusations of performative compassion and questions about the credibility of some parents, Kev says it's "nothing new really, people used to just have a smaller circle to share their deeds. I genuinely feel there are millions of quiet helpful souls who rise up when needed."

"I think sometimes posters are exploitive of their situation, but I think it's down to feeling unseen or unloved and needing to find a voice. Sometimes they don't even know they are doing it. You will see men and women constantly posting pictures of themselves. Or with their partners. I tend to think it's from low esteem and a need for validation," Kev added.

Shane Warren agrees that, although there may be ulterior motives lurking beneath the surface on all sides, there is little to be lost, and some good can come from these posts.

"Don't totally discredit the intent of performative compassion because it helps to raise awareness and challenge situations," he says, adding that authentic compassion must then follow to affect real positive change.

"When rooted in genuine understanding and empathy, [authentic compassion] has the potential to create real connections, raise awareness, and drive meaningful action."

Listen to Mamamia Out Loud where Mia, Holly, and Clare talks about the lonely kid content. Post continues below.

So, while it may be tempting to take a cynical approach to posts like these, let's consider putting the pitchforks away and considering what's going on for the parents who post about their kids' traumas and challenges. Let's see what happens when we extend kindness, give people the benefit of the doubt, and follow through with support that could be more substantial.

Are we teaching our kids to be compassionate towards their classmates – even the ones that challenge them to think outside of their own experience? Are we modelling that behaviour ourselves? What are we doing to make the world a kinder, less cynical, place?

Feature Image: Twitter @kevharrison_ Instagram @lex.fitzgerald.