Digital Parenting, Hollywood Style: What Celebrity Families Teach Us About Kids and Privacy

When this page was first written, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were among the most photographed parents on earth, and the public was endlessly curious about how they raised six children under constant attention. A lot has changed since. The couple separated in 2016, and their divorce was finalized at the end of 2024 after eight years. All six of their children are now adults.

The fascination with celebrity families hasn't gone away, though, and neither have the questions they raise. What famous parents have long dealt with, strangers knowing their children's faces, names and whereabouts, is now something ordinary families face every time they post. Here's what we can learn from life in the spotlight.

Lesson 1: Visibility is a choice you make for someone else

Celebrity children don't choose to be famous; their parents' careers make them public. Many famous parents respond by refusing to show their children's faces online, covering them in photos or asking photographers not to publish them. Some have pushed for laws: in 2013, California increased penalties for harassing children because of their parents' jobs, a change backed by several celebrity parents.

Most of us don't face paparazzi. But a public social media account with thousands of followers, or even a few hundred loosely known contacts, makes a child more visible than any previous generation. The question is the same one celebrity parents ask: is this my story to share, or my child's?

Lesson 2: Kids grow up and have opinions

Children who grew up with their lives online are now old enough to speak about it, and many have said they wish their parents had shared less. Embarrassing photos, health details, school struggles and family conflict can follow a person into adulthood, because a search engine never forgets.

Practical steps:

• Ask before you post once your child is old enough to understand, and respect a "no."
• Skip identifying details, such as full names, school logos, house numbers and location tags.
• Keep sensitive topics offline, especially health, behavior and family conflict.
• Choose private sharing. Shared albums or a private account with close family give grandparents the photos without the public exposure.

Our guide on controlling your digital footprint includes steps for cleaning up what's already out there.

Lesson 3: When kids become content, the law is catching up

Family vlogging and "kidfluencer" accounts brought celebrity-style exposure, and money, to ordinary homes. Lawmakers have started to respond. Illinois passed the first state law in 2023 requiring parents who earn money from online content featuring their children to set aside a share of the earnings in a trust. California followed in 2024 with similar protections, building on its long-standing Coogan law for child actors.

Even if your family never earns a cent from posting, these laws reflect a growing consensus: children have interests in their own image that are separate from their parents'.

Lesson 4: Two homes need one plan

Celebrity divorces play out publicly, but co-parenting across two households is a reality for millions of ordinary families. Tech is one of the most common friction points: different rules about bedtime phones, different apps allowed, one parent posting photos the other dislikes.

What helps:

1. Write down shared rules. A family media agreement that both parents sign gives kids one set of expectations, even if the details differ slightly by house.
2. Agree on posting. Decide together whether and what each parent will post about the children.
3. Share access to parental controls. In Apple Family Sharing, more than one adult can be a parent or guardian. Google Family Link also lets a second parent manage a child's account.
4. Don't use the phone as a go-between. Children shouldn't carry messages between parents or be used to check up on the other household. Location sharing should be for the child's safety, not for monitoring an ex.
5. Keep conflict off social media. Children, and their friends, can see it.

Our article on iOS Family Sharing pros and cons explains how shared family settings work on Apple devices.

Lesson 5: Model what you want to see

Children notice when the adults in their lives are always on their phones, or always filming. Some of the most effective "digital parenting" has nothing to do with controls:

• Put your own phone away at meals and during conversations.
• Be present at events instead of recording all of them.
• Talk out loud about your own choices: "I'm not posting this one, it's private."

When grandparents and friends post

Your own posting is only half the picture. Relatives, coaches, other parents and schools may share photos of your child too. It's reasonable to tell family and close friends what you're comfortable with, such as no names, no school details, or private accounts only, and to check the photo permission forms your child's school and activities send home. Most people are happy to respect a clear, friendly request.

Questions to ask before posting about your child

• Would I be comfortable if this were the first thing a future employer saw?
• Would my child, at 16, be okay with it?
• Does it reveal where they live, go to school or spend time?
• Is the audience people I actually know?

The bottom line

You don't need a publicist to protect your child's privacy. Borrow the best habits of famous parents: keep faces and details offline when you can, ask before you post, plan tech rules together even across two homes, and remember that your child will one day read what you shared.