Page 112 of The Lair

“I mean, she took pictures and videos of me when I was a kid, but I didn’t knowwhatshe was doing with them. I didn’t know what social media was or how many people had accessto information about me. Eventually, getting so many pictures taken became annoying, and…and when I didn’t want to do it anymore, she got really mad. Threatened to send me to bed on an empty stomach and said we’d be homeless if I didn’t pose for her pictures because it was her job. I told her to stop as I got older, when I understood what was going on.”

“But she never stopped?”

I shake my head.

“What was your father’s role in all of this?” he asks next. “His social media presence isn’t as big as your mother’s, but he doesshare some things.”

“We never got along, my father and I. He wasn’t loving, supportive, or understanding. He was never on my side despite knowing that I wanted to be left alone. He said I should listen to my mother because she was right. It was her job, and it paid the bills. That I should stop being a brat and do as they said.”

George crosses his legs again. “You know, for a very long time, I also wondered what was up with showing minors on the internet for millions of people to see, criticize, and more. Why do families like yours still do it when it’s been proven that the internet isn’t as safe as it used to be? When asked, some parents said that by hiding their kids from their audience, they’d create a dangerous curiosity around them. That people would go out of their way to see what their children looked like, and that by showing their faces, they’d take control of the narrative. As one of those children—now an adult—do you have an opinion about this?”

I fidget with my fingers on my lap. It’s not something I’d heard before, but I can picture my mother saying it.

“I don’t like extremes,” I start carefully. “I always try to understand both sides, and in this case… I… I get it. I really do. I understand why some parents think they’re doing their kids a favor by showing their faces online. I want to believe most ofthem do so because their children are a part of their lives, and they feel proud of them and genuinely don’t think it’s dangerous. But at the same time, it’s so… soselfish. So irresponsible. The internet isn’t safe no matter how much we’ve convinced ourselves otherwise. We all know this by now. A little girl was almost abducted not long ago because her mother shared their address to hundreds of thousands of followers. And then what happened to me. I just…

“At the start, my mother made it sound like a fun thing. Taking pictures and videos bonded us, and I liked it until I didn’t. But the thing is, children can’t consent to things they don’t understand. And they don’t understand how unsafe it is to have their faces, pictures, and vulnerable moments out there for anyone to see—nor should they have to, either, at their age. Adults deal with online hate every day just for being a public figure, yet they expose their kids to that willingly.Whywould anyone do that? It’s a sticky situation, I know that. But as someone who was on the other side, I need parents to understand it can ruin lives. It ruined mine.”

“So you’re saying itcanbe okay to show children in online spaces?” George presses.

“I’m not here to tell anyone how to raise their kids. Who even am I to do that? What I’m saying is that parents should think twice about what they share. Nothing more.” My voice wavers as I relive the bitter memories. “I don’t think it’s safe to post your children’s certificates, showing identifiable information. I don’t think it’s necessary to film your child’s temper tantrums or other vulnerable moments and post them online, whether you have a million followers or a hundred. I don’t think it’s fair to ignore your child when they say they don’t want to take pictures and dismiss them by saying they don’t know what they’re talking about. I don’t think it should be legal to make money off your kids and never put that money toward their education or future.”

George frowns. “Your parents never gave you any money when you turned of age?”

I swallow because maybe I shouldn’t be confessing this on TV. But…

Fuck it.

“I don’t have a Coogan account, if that’s what you’re asking,” I tell him. Tell the world. “I wasn’t a child actor or an athlete or a performer or anything like that, so my parents didn’t open one. As far as I know, it isn’t a legal requirement for children in social media.”

“Yet,” George says. It sounds like a promise.

“I…”Deep breath, Allie.“I took ten thousand dollars in cash from my parents’ safe before escaping because I couldn’t risk them monitoring my location through my credit card, and I had no other way to get money. It felt like I was stealing, but it wasmymoney too. I’d helped earn it by participating in advertising campaigns against my will.”

George shakes his head, a hint of sadness tainting his eyes. “You’re no thief, Allison. You took what was yours because it was your only chance at survival.”

I say nothing. I can’t. I’d never told anyone about the money, and I’d been terrified to discover that I was right all along—that I took what wasn’t mine.

“You’ve just mentioned child actors. Do you relate to them in any way?” he asks next. “Minors being exploited and abused in the entertainment industry has been a topic of discussion for years.”

“My heart breaks for them. I can understand what they’re going through.” I hesitate. “But at the same time, I believe our situations aren’t quite the same. It’s difficult to explain. From my limited understanding, even though there’s still a very long way to go, the law protects actors more than it protects us, probably because social media is such a new thing—Cooganaccounts are an example. I’m not saying injustices don’t happen—they absolutely do—but I think things are different with social media.”

“How so?”

“Well… aside from different laws, realistically, how many children and teenagers can be actors? It’s a very restrictive industry. There’s no room for everyone. Social media is a whole different playing field becauseanyonecan become influential overnight. Anyone can post pictures and videos of their kids and go viral. You don’t need to pass any audition or background check or be hired by a powerful network. Being an actor is unreachable to most, but anyone can be a social media personality nowadays.

“That’s also why I wanted to be here today. We need to protect children in as many ways as we can. The entertainment industry escapes me, but I’m grateful others are fighting for the safety of children in that landscape. Social media is where I, unfortunately, have experience. I don’t think we should be censoring these conversations but encouraging more and more people to speak out no matter what their situation is. Only the oppressors benefit from our silence.”

An emotion akin to respect shines in George’s eyes. Or maybe I’m just desperate for approval, for any sign telling me that this interview won’t be in vain. That I’m not about to ruin my life for nothing.

“What you’re confessing today is…” he starts after a beat of silence. “Heartbreaking. Honestly, it’s heartbreaking. Not only because it happened to you, but because it’s happening to other children right now, as we speak, and they’re powerless to stop it.”

“I really hope that changes,” I tell him honestly.

“That’s our wish as well,” he reassures me. “But inevitably, when these controversial conversations take place—particularlywhen they point fingers at a public persona for neglect and abuse—skeptics are known to accuse victims of lying. One could argue that you’re here because you want attention. That it’s your word against your parents’, and it wasn’tthatbad. That you’re exaggerating.”

My chest constricts, knowing where he’s going with this.

George sits up straight, both of his feet planted on the ground. “Which is why you’ve brought irrefutable evidence to the studio.”

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