Meghan Markle and Prince Harry speak out on Senate debates on children's online safety
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry rarely engage in politics, except when the subject of children is on the table. This Wednesday, January 31, the couple wanted to provide support to parents facing bereavement or whose children suffer from serious mental disorders due to their exposure to harmful online content.
Following the US Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spoke: “We applaud the courage and determination of the thousands of parents across the country whose advocacy resulted in this hearing,” they said in a statement posted on the Archwell Foundation website.
The foundation works alongside victim families hoping to see greater security develop on the internet, in order to protect young people as much as possible. “Over the past few years, we have spent time with many of these families, listening to their pain and their hopes for urgent change in the online space,” Meghan and Harry added. Before continuing: “The best education in the world cannot protect children from these platforms.”
After their fieldwork, the former royal couple were able to present suggestions to political leaders on how positive change could be brought about. In the hearing room: grieving parents, victims, Mark Zuckerberg and Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snapchat.
The two businessmen were invited to discuss the impact of their platforms on the general public, particularly young people. After being informed of the large number of minors exposed to nudity on the applications, the boss of Meta wanted to apologize. “I’m sorry for everything you’ve been through,” he told the crowd. “It’s terrible and no one should have to endure what your families have endured,” added the American, ensuring that they are investing more resources for enhanced security.
During World Mental Health Day in New York in October, the couple had already addressed all these questions, Meghan Markle very moved by the parents' distress. “Le thinks that for us, for my wife and I, with children growing up in the digital age, the priority is to turn pain into purpose and provide as much support as possible to these families and find lasting solutions so that no one has to go through this again,” Prince Harry said.
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