Why Virat and Anushka Keep Their Kids Off Camera: A Parent's Guide to a Child's Privacy at School
Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma asked the media not to photograph their children. What their stand teaches every parent about photos, names and a child's privacy at school.
In January 2022, a television camera at a cricket ground in Cape Town panned to the stands, found Anushka Sharma cheering for Virat Kohli, and showed their one-year-old daughter's face to millions of viewers. Within minutes the screenshots were everywhere. The next day both parents posted the same short note on Instagram: they had been caught off guard, and their request had not changed.
The short answer Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma have repeatedly asked photographers and the media not to click or publish pictures of their children, so the kids can grow up "freely away from media and social media". Most of us aren't chased by cameras, but the same idea protects any child at school: share less, and keep names and details off what strangers can see.
What did Virat and Anushka ask the media?
Before that, the couple had already put out a statement to photographers and the media. "We seek privacy for our child and would like to do our best to give her a chance to live her life freely away from media and social media," they wrote, as Hindustan Times reported. They also thanked fan clubs for not posting images, calling it "kind and highly mature".
After the Cape Town broadcast, Anushka's note said: "We would really appreciate if Vamika's images are not clicked/published for reasons we have explained earlier." Virat shared the same message. And when a publication posted holiday photos of their daughter in June 2022, Anushka commented that it "can't stop clicking and posting photos despite being requested repeatedly", the same report says.
When their son was born in February 2024, the couple announced it on social media and again asked fans to respect their privacy, according to India Today.
Why does a child's privacy matter, even if you aren't famous?
Here's the part that applies to the rest of us. Most of what can identify a child isn't a celebrity photo. It's the small stuff in an ordinary one: a school logo on a sweater, a name printed on a bag, a bus number in the background, a "first day in Class 2!" caption with the school tagged. Put three of those together and a stranger knows a lot more than you meant to share.
The couple's phrase stays with us: a chance to live freely. For most children that just means growing up without an online trail they never agreed to.
Most of what can identify a child isn't a celebrity photo. It's the school logo, the name on the bag and the bus number in the background.
Should I put my child's full name on their school bag?
A first name and class is enough on anything people can see from the outside: the bag, the bottle, the tiffin. Teachers and the school office can return a lost item with that. Keep the surname, phone number and address for the inside of the bag, under a flap tag, or in the school diary. We go into the details in our guide to bag tags and child safety on school buses and at daycare.
How do I talk to the class WhatsApp group about photos?
Class photos from birthdays, trips and the annual day show other people's children too. A simple, friendly message at the start of term helps: "Could we keep class photos within this group and avoid tagging the school?" Most parents are relieved someone asked. If a parent prefers their child not to appear at all, respect it without needing a reason, just as the media was asked to.
Almost missed this Turn off location tags on your phone camera. Many phones save where a photo was taken inside the file itself.
How do I explain privacy to my child?
Keep it simple and about choice, not fear. With a five-year-old, "Your name is for your teachers and friends, not for strangers" is plenty. By eight or nine, children can understand that a photo online stays there, and that they get a say in what's shared about them. A few habits that work at home:
- Ask before you post. "Can I share this one with Nani?" teaches them their pictures are theirs.
- Practise the school-gate rule. They only go with the adults you've named to the school, even if someone knows their name.
- Praise them for asking. A child who checks with you before sharing a friend's photo is doing exactly the right thing.
How we can help
We make our tags so you choose what's on show. The bag tags carry a first name and class on the outside, and our writable tags let you keep a phone number on the back. For bottles, tiffins and books, school name labels with just a first name do the job.
Frequently asked questions
Why don't Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma show their children's faces?
They have said they want their children to have "a chance to live her life freely away from media and social media", and have repeatedly asked photographers not to click or publish pictures of them.
What should I write on my child's school bag tag?
The first name and class on the outside. Put your phone number on the inside or under a flap, never the home address.
Is it okay to post my child's school photos online?
It's your call, but crop out the school logo, name badges and bus numbers, avoid tagging the school, and post after the event rather than live.
How do I protect my child's privacy at school?
Share less identifying detail, keep only first names on visible items, ask before sharing class photos, and agree a photo rule with the class group.
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