Yes, as KAR12OC says, the biggest concern is with public appearances that are unscripted and less controllable-- magazine, television, and newspaper articles all three have done things like that to DD (and us).
It's often more about cherry-picking soundbites than a deliberate attempt to misrepresent meaning, but misrepresentation still happens with a great deal of regularity. I find if frustrating myself when I have "talking points" and most of them get ignored in favor of the reporter's agenda or whim. Grr.
The bottom line is that it is generally best to allow that kind of access conditionally, in our experience:
1. evaluate the bias and agenda of the entity you're dealing with by carefully examining the reporter's previous work, and what gets press/air time at the media outlet... odds are good that "oh, look what a freak this enmeshed parent has produced" in the past is a good clue as to future editing, if you KWIM...
2. LIMITED access. If celebrities and politicians can do it, so can YOU-- ask for questions to be vetted ahead of time. If they won't, there may be a reason.
3. Ask if you can approve the finished peice before it goes to press or airs. Sometimes this is yes, sometimes it is no.
4. Recognize that this is an act of TRUST, and that you're trusting the person wanting that interview/access with your child.
5. As a parent, I always have to ask whether or not the media appearance is in the best interests of my child. Or is it about feeding MY ego? If I have any twinges that it might be the latter, I ask my child what SHE prefers to do-- making it very clear that she can say "NO" to any media contact.
With all of that said, my daughter has, since she was seven, made several appearances formally with state lawmakers (using prepared statements, mostly), in marketing/PR materials for her (national) virtual school-- including video and print materials, been interviewed by regional magazines and newspaper editorial boards, and in unrelated areas, with the local and regional television and newspaper media.
She's had a fair amount of media exposure for one eleven year old girl who has nothing to do with the media as an industry, in other words.
On the other hand, she isn't out there in cyberspace much, and we are cautious about private details. VERY cautious about information regarding her medical history, our precise location (or address), and her weekly itinerary.
We feel that her LOG is (generally) not a topic for discussion, though this is generally a bit muddy since that is precisely why she is a good poster child for her school. (Well, that and her disability.) So she has mentioned those things in appearances related to the school thing. Those are special cases, and in this case, the fight is over whether or not her school continues to be viable in our state. So you bet we are willing to be forthcoming about just why she needs it to be there. I wanted to explain why I consider that to be a special case. Also worth noting is that she retains VETO power when they call to ask. Always.
But for general appearances related to her activities and awards? No, we don't mention it. We mention either her age, or her grade in school, generally not both. The fact that her school is K-12 helps, since it isn't obvious from her age that she's been radically accelerated several times.
