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The Clooneys phone policy.

(38 Posts)
Usedtobeblonde Tue 08-Jul-25 18:09:48

It is reported that Amal and George Clooney have a basket by their front door into which all guests must deposit their phones.
This is to protect their privacy, they never show their children in photographs.
I would hope that were I ever to be in their position I would trust my visitors to uphold my rules without confiscating their phones.
It seems a very extreme step to me.

Whitewavemark2 Tue 08-Jul-25 18:20:18

Their house - their rules.

Jaxjacky Tue 08-Jul-25 18:27:14

It could be anyone visiting, not just close friends, I don’t blame them, stops people keep looking at them too.

Iam64 Tue 08-Jul-25 18:31:17

Jaxjacky

It could be anyone visiting, not just close friends, I don’t blame them, stops people keep looking at them too.

This. If you’re a celeb, even classy celebs like the Clooneys, not everyone who steps into your home will be a close, trusted friend.

welbeck Tue 08-Jul-25 18:35:58

Yes. With high net worth individuals the stakes are higher.
They are celebrities.
People purport to be all sorts of things to make a quick buck.
I was struck by hearing the testimony of one of the passengers caught up in 7/7.
She had been in the Edgware Road train. Different carriage.
Walking wounded. When she got to the Hilton metropolitan a person said they would call her husband. They took all the contact details.
They did not contact her husband. For the next year she was plagued by calls and knocks on her door from that person who was a reporter and others.

Blossoming Tue 08-Jul-25 18:41:52

As I’m not expecting to be visiting the Clooneys anytime soon it’s not affecting me. Their home, their rules I guess.

petra Tue 08-Jul-25 18:46:01

Iam64

Jaxjacky

It could be anyone visiting, not just close friends, I don’t blame them, stops people keep looking at them too.

This. If you’re a celeb, even classy celebs like the Clooneys, not everyone who steps into your home will be a close, trusted friend.

Let’s suppose that one of those visitors had record on on their phone🤷‍♀️ We all know that George and Amal are political.
You think you know people but sometimes they aren’t all what you thought them to be.

GrannyGravy13 Tue 08-Jul-25 18:50:05

Brilliant idea, I shall start looking for a basket to match my hallway 👏👏👏

Blossoming Tue 08-Jul-25 18:51:30

Excellent dea GG13 😉

welbeck Tue 08-Jul-25 19:01:30

O think it's the idea of covert photos of their children which is the real risk.
Their children are in their home. The Clooneys don't confiscate others phone when they are out and about at an event. I doubt they are worried about their words being recorded.
They are right to protect their children.

BlueBelle Tue 08-Jul-25 19:02:33

Rather a draconian expectation in my opinion
I wouldn’t bother going back if I was as an adult under order to relinquish anything apart from a bomb 🤣

TerriBull Tue 08-Jul-25 19:39:13

I think they are absolutely right not to put their children in the public domain in respecting their children's right to privacy. Childhood is brief and children cannot make an informed choice as to the implications of having their images splashed all over the media and the ramifications of living a life in the glare of publicity when too young to negotiate the pitfalls.

JaneJudge Tue 08-Jul-25 19:54:45

I wish they’d enforce these rules in colleges let alone in private housing 😂

merlotgran Tue 08-Jul-25 20:50:25

I would understand their wishes if I were a stranger or infrequent visitor but a friend?
I would be disappointed and annoyed that they clearly didn’t trust me.

NotSpaghetti Tue 08-Jul-25 21:06:44

GrannyGravy13

Brilliant idea, I shall start looking for a basket to match my hallway 👏👏👏

I would also have to look for something to put the basket on - unless it was to just sit on the floor?.... where I'd repeatedly trip over it! grin

Doodledog Tue 08-Jul-25 21:22:26

My friends don't take photos of my house, or of any children in it. Therefore I have no rules about photography. The Clooneys, presumably, have different considerations. Therefore they have different rules.

No comparison, and neither situation is 'extreme' - it's just a case of adapting to the circumstances.

henetha Tue 08-Jul-25 23:17:24

Seems like a good idea to me.

Shinamae Tue 08-Jul-25 23:35:27

I think it would be a good idea, but not for the reasons they give but purely so that people will have to actually have conversations….🤓

NotTooOld Tue 08-Jul-25 23:45:00

Good luck to them. Nest time they visit me I'll make them take their shoes off.

NotSpaghetti Wed 09-Jul-25 04:11:03

I expect they do that anyway Nottooold

Doodledog Wed 09-Jul-25 04:51:43

I suspect they absolutely don’t 😂😂.

In circles where ‘staff’ ensure cleanliness, and flooring can easily be replaced there is never a ‘shoes off’ rule. Or so I’m told.

merlotgran Wed 09-Jul-25 09:59:50

'It’s important to get that balance where you have time alone with your family and with your friends where people feel like you can have a safe and frank exchange. And I would say becoming a parent means you’re more troubled by some of the intrusions.

I have copied and pasted this quote by Amal Clooney.

They must invite some very odd people to their home(s).

Magenta8 Wed 09-Jul-25 10:19:45

Shinamae

I think it would be a good idea, but not for the reasons they give but purely so that people will have to actually have conversations….🤓

I went to a reunion gathering recently and I would say at least 50% of the people there spent most of their time looking at their phones.

Labradora Wed 09-Jul-25 12:37:40

The Clooneys are rich, famous and political.
My feeling is "they're not like me". So it doesn't surprise me that they have different rules and these sorts of rules in particular.
For all their advantages and benefits famous people have the downside of people trying to use them and make money out of them. I know that's a big "Boohoo" but I can see that you would certainly want to protect your children.
People recording and photographing is a massive "thing" these days particularly for younger generations so see the need to take precautions.
I would never do it with my own friends obvs.If you can't trust them then they're not your friends.

Astitchintime Wed 09-Jul-25 12:42:15

Great idea…….I will find a suitable basket and impose the same rule when my DGD visit……they’re always glued to their mobiles.