Michael Jackson's children become web stars after leaks

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) –
The once sheltered children of the late Michael Jackson have become Internet sensations after home-made videos of two of his three children playing up for web cameras were leaked and appeared on YouTube.

Jackson, who died aged 50 last June of an overdose of powerful medications, went to great lengths to keep Prince Michael, 13, Paris, 12, and Prince Michael II, 8, out of the public eye, even making them cover their faces when out.

But less than a year after his death, two of the youngsters — last seen in public at the Grammy awards in January — have hit the spotlight with up to nine video clips of Paris and Prince Michael II appearing on the Internet.

Their grandfather Joe Jackson told celebrity website Popeater that the family was upset by the leak, having adhered to Michael Jackson's wish to keep them out of the spotlight and did not want these videos out in public.

He confirmed that it was not the children who posted the clips. The account owner of French-language fansite KingofPop-Kids.com, which posted many of the clips, said Jackson fans were responsible for hacking into family web accounts.

"We don't know who (the hacker) was but we're trying to find out," Joe Jackson told Popeater.

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