Kourtney Kardashian subtly silences criticism over hidden son Rocky’s face

Kourtney Kardashian Barker is well aware of the criticism over her choice to not show her youngest son’s face on social media, but it doesn’t bother her.

The Poosh founder, 46, shares 23-month-old son Rocky with husband Travis Barker. While her older children — sons Mason, 15, and Reign, 10, and daughter Penelope, 13, whom she welcomed with ex Scott Disick — have all appeared on the family’s reality shows and occasionally appear on social media, Kardashian has chosen not to show Rocky’s face online.

She continued to hide Rocky’s face in a Friday, October 17, Instagram post celebrating Halloween. Amid the photos of Kardashian dressed as the Bride of Frankenstein, the proud mom included a photo of her young son standing behind the wheel of a car.

However, she superimposed a jack-o-lantern emoji on her face to maintain her privacy.

Critics took to the comments section to denounce his decision.

“Why cover your face when everyone knows what he looks like,” one Instagram user wrote, while another added: “It’s just weird to me that you would even post a picture of him and hide his face… but don’t post it at all. So stupid.”

Another person wrote: “We always act like we care what the kid looks like.”

The final comment prompted a response from one of Kardashian’s followers, who wrote: “It’s a sign you care elsewhere.”

Although Kardashian didn’t directly respond to comments about her decision, she “hearted” the user’s comment, showing that she was well aware of the debate.

Other Instagram users also came to the mother’s defense, with one writing: “Just because the paparazzi don’t respect the parents’ wishes and show her face doesn’t mean they should be intimidated into posting it. That’s what they want.”

The eldest Kardashian sibling welcomed Rocky on Nov. 1, 2023, PEOPLE exclusively confirmed at the time.

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She and Travis tied the knot in three ceremonies — a Las Vegas wedding in April 2022 followed by a legal ceremony and a lavish Italian wedding the same month — after they began dating in early 2021.

Kourtney and Travis’ blended family includes Rocky, her children with Disick, and the rocker Blink-182’s three children with ex-wife Shanna Moakler — son Landon, 22, daughter Alabama, 19, and stepdaughter Atiana, 26.