this post was submitted on 22 Feb 2026
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Despite building an increasingly screen-focused world, billionaire tech leaders are keeping their own children away from the tech they helped create.

As far back as 2010, Apple cofounder Steve Jobs told a New York Times reporter his kids had never used an iPad and that, “We limit how much technology our kids use at home.”

Since then, the trend of Silicon Valley billionaires keeping their families away from technology has become even more pronounced, thanks in part to the rise of social media and short-form video.

At the 2024 Aspen Ideas Festival, early Facebook investor and billionaire Peter Thiel joined Chen among the ranks of tech leaders who are setting strict limits on screens. Thiel said he only lets his two young children use screens for an hour-and-a-half per week, a revelation that prompted audible gasps from the audience.

Other tech CEOs, including Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Snap’s Evan Spiegel, and Tesla’s Elon Musk, have also spoken about limiting their children’s access to devices. Gates has said he did not give his children smartphones until age 14 and banned phones at the dinner table entirely. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, in 2018, said he limits his child to the same 1.5 hours per week of screen time as Thiel. And finally, Musk, who bought the social media company X, formerly Twitter, in 2022, said it “might’ve been a mistake” to not set any rules on social media for his children.

Yet, as the trials against social media companies continue and country after country moves toward legislating what Silicon Valley’s billionaires have quietly practiced for years, the private behavior of the world’s most powerful tech figures stands in contrast to what they’re promoting and building

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[–] Clent@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 4 days ago

banned phones at the dinner table entirely

I would everyone is doing this. Sitting down to eat together once a day and talk isn't something only billionaires can afford.

[–] MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 6 points 4 days ago (2 children)

What, Musks too? He's not known to have much to do with family.

[–] OldChicoAle@lemmy.world 5 points 4 days ago

But he is known to talk out his ass

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 4 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Most Sociopathic Oligarchs see their offspring as future organ donors, so they can live forever. The Goblin DEFINITELY thinks like that. Those kids are livestock, nothing more.

[–] jagermo@feddit.org 6 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Half an hour per weekday and an hour on weekends with the switch, plus strict rules on what als can be used. No roblox.

But we flood our kids with books or comics. If they want to read a book, well make it happen

Kids are fine with it. Boredom sparks creativity.

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[–] PotatoLibre@feddit.it 5 points 4 days ago

Tech lords are among the most hated people on the planet.

"Dad, why people think you're a self absordeb, pathetic, nazi snowflake???"

[–] minorkeys@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Yeah because they see us as animals that they can hurt to enrich themselves. They don't give a fuck what the consequences are to your children, that's your problem. Just because they reshape the inescapable environment you raise your kids in, doesn't mean they will ever see themselves as responsible for the effect that has on them, or you.

The mass of humanity needs to accept that private power concentrations are a threat to humanity and take steps to ensure they don't exist. Private interest are hostile to community interests. There is no middle ground with selfishness, it is relentless. The most selfish people will always end up with the power if power is allowed to concentrate. Democracy was literally the remedy for it and we've allowed democracy to be removed from the hands of the many in favour of the few.

Private power and community power can not peacefully coexist.

[–] Passerby6497@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago

And finally, Musk, who bought the social media company X, formerly Twitter, in 2022, said it “might’ve been a mistake” to not set any rules on social media for his children.

That would require him to spend more time around his children than photoshoots and using them as human shields

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Anti-christ thiel says whayt. Only because the billionaires have gotten thier wealth through unethical means, not including harming other people, of course the wrath will be directed at thier children too, since they benefited from it.

[–] Zephorah@discuss.online 4 points 4 days ago

Theil reproduced?

[–] ChicoSuave@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago

Why do they have kids? Inheritance Tax Now!

[–] enbiousenvy@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] sibachian@lemmy.ml 1 points 4 days ago

the American guy who has been pushing for chat control through Europe so he can get paid destroying all privacy and spying on all European citizens through his Palintir, you mean, and ultimately delivering all power to the US.

it takes a certain kind of evil to literally recreate Sauron's Palintir. What is it Gandalf tells Saruman?, "There is only one Lord of the Ring, only one who can bend it to his will. And he does not share power." He is literally following the script lol.

[–] BiomedOtaku@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 3 days ago

Lol I've always known this. People are beyond retarded now. Like biggie use to say

" Never get high on your own supply "

[–] Smoogs@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago

Nothing to do with any virtue to be interested in their kid’s mental health and everything to do with avoiding getting blackmail using their kid’s identities

[–] xenomor@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago

Goddamn, it reproduced already?

[–] Randomgal@lemmy.ca 2 points 4 days ago

How cute. They think the things billionaires say for ammo in the evential lawsuit are actually true.

[–] mrnngglry@sh.itjust.works 2 points 4 days ago

Of course you do hey do but millions of us keep eating the shit they put in front of us, me included.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 1 points 4 days ago

My son was never interested in video games, nor does he use any social media. Instead, he reads and watches movies.

He's a film studies student, and knows films inside and out because he's seen almost everything, from every country, from every era. He's also an avid reader of classics, and just finished Moby Dick. It wasn't an assignment, he just wanted to read it.

He wouldn't be that smart if he'd buried himself in video games and social media.

[–] chaotic_ugly@lemmy.zip -1 points 3 days ago

Listen, billionaires suck. But if you think tech giants are hypocritical for strictly rationing screen time to their children then you have lost the plot.

Social media, and screen time in general, are bad for you. Everyone knows this now. If you aren't limiting your child's access, that's on you.

Before a child can get addicted, their parents have to give them access. If you can't live life without looking at a phone, TV, or tablet every free moment, then you're the reason your kids are turning into morons.

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