Four-year-old TV star has 16,000 Twitter followers

A four-year-old girl who appears in one of America’s leading comedies has set up a Twitter account with 16,000 followers.

Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, who plays Lily in Modern Family, updates her fans on fun family outings and gives a behind-the-scenes look at the set of the hit ABC sitcom.

Aubrey’s tweets are said to be all her own words, although they are typed out by her mother, Amy Anderson, an actress and writer.

Today, she rejected criticism that creating the Twitter account was the sign of a pushy parent. She told The Times: “Although we are a showbiz family, we have a fairly normal life. Aubrey goes to pre-school, has play dates, plays with our dog, goes to birthday parties and karate. She is a very happy, bright and healthy child.”

However, Melanie Gill, a psychologist who sits on a panel set up by the British Government to review conditions for children working as actors or models, described the trend as “appalling”.

Her online Twitter profile reads: "I play Lily on ABC's Modern Family. My mom will keep you up to date on my activities! Currently trying to give up thumb sucking. Sigh..."