David Beckham Responds to Brooklyn’s Instagram Allegations, Warns About Social Media Pitfalls

‎David Beckham has spoken publicly about the “mistakes” young people can make on social media following a series of revealing Instagram Stories shared by his son Brooklyn Beckham earlier this week. The posts, published on Monday, saw Brooklyn accuse his parents, David and Victoria Beckham, of controlling “narratives in the press about our family” and attempting to “ruin my relationship” with his wife, Nicola Peltz Beckham, among other allegations.

David Beckham responds to son Brooklyn’s viral Instagram allegations, discussing social media’s risks, parenting mistakes, and the Beckham family rift.

‎John Phillips/Getty Images 

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‎Appearing on CNBC’s financial show Squawk Box on Tuesday, the Inter Miami CF co-owner reflected on both the influence and the dangers of social media. “I’ve always spoke about social media and the power of social media, for the good and for the bad,” Beckham said. “The bad, we’ve talked about, what kids can access these days and it can be dangerous. But what I’ve found personally, especially with my kids as well, use it for the right reasons.”

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‎Beckham also highlighted how he has used his own online presence to support humanitarian causes, particularly UNICEF. “It’s been the biggest tool to make people aware of what’s going on around the world for children, and I’ve tried to do the same,” he explained.

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‎Without mentioning any of his children by name, Beckham referred to his kids as examples while discussing education and growth. He and Victoria Beckham share four children: Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz, and Harper Seven.

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‎“I’ve tried to do the same with my children, to educate them. They make mistakes. Children are allowed to make mistakes. That’s how they learn. So, that’s what I try to teach my kids,” the former footballer said. “You have to sometimes let them make those mistakes.”

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‎Beckham’s remarks came shortly after Brooklyn posted lengthy Instagram Stories that appeared to confirm a long-rumored family fallout. In the posts, Brooklyn said he had tried to keep the situation private for years.

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‎“I have been silent for years and made every effort to keep these matters private,” Brooklyn wrote. “Unfortunately, my parents and their team have continued to go to the press, leaving me with no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed. I do not want to reconcile with my family. I’m not being controlled, I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life.”

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‎He went on to accuse his parents of shaping public narratives about their family. “For my entire life, my parents have controlled narratives in the press about our family. The performative social media posts, family events and inauthentic relationships have been a fixture of the life I was born into,” he wrote. Brooklyn claimed that he had recently witnessed what he described as efforts to plant false stories in the media, saying it was done to preserve a “false facade.”

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‎Brooklyn also made a specific allegation involving his mother, stating that she “hijacked my first dance with my wife” and “danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone,” which he said left him feeling “uncomfortable” and “humiliated.”

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‎In another part of his statement, Brooklyn criticized what he described as his family’s focus on public image and branding. “My family values public promotion and endorsements above all else. Brand Beckham comes first,” he wrote. He added that family support was, in his view, measured by social media posts and photo opportunities, even when it conflicted with professional commitments.

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‎He further claimed that his mother declined a request from his wife for support in helping displaced dogs during the Los Angeles fires, despite the family’s history of attending fashion shows, parties, and press events to promote what he called their “perfect family” image.

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‎Brooklyn also pushed back against rumors suggesting that Nicola Peltz Beckham controls him. “The narrative that my wife controls me is completely backwards,” he wrote. “I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life. I grew up with overwhelming anxiety.” He added that stepping away from his family had brought relief. “For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared.”