Penélope Cruz says her two children don't have phones or social media profiles.
In an interview with Elle, the actress opened up about what it's like to be a mother to two teenagers — a 10-year-old daughter, Luna, and a 12-year-old son, Leo.
Cruz says she tries to protect her children - whom she shares with husband, Spanish actor Javier Bardem - from the dangers of technology, admitting they are not on social media and "don't even have phones".
"It's so easy to be manipulated, especially if you have a brain that's still forming," Cruz told Elle. "And who pays the price? Not us, not our generation, who probably learned how a BlackBerry worked at the age of 25. It's a cruel experiment on children, on teenagers."
The 49-year-old actress is also very careful to protect her children's privacy. If they want a career in the spotlight, it will be up to them, Cruz said.
"It's up to them to decide if they're going to have a job that's more exposed to the public or not. They can talk about it when they're ready."
This isn't the first time Cruz has spoken out about protecting her children from the dangers of being online.
In an interview on CBS Sunday Morning in 2021, the actress shared that she is "very strict with technology" when it comes to her children.
"There's no protection for them, for the brain that's still developing and how that affects how they see themselves, there are so many things that are not like the childhood we had," Cruz said.
"No social media until at least 16. I really see that as mental health protection."
