Prince Harry, Meghan Markle call for more child protection on social media
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are campaigning for stronger protections on social media and warning of the threat it poses to children and young users.
The royal couple unveiled a memorial in New York City on Thursday dedicated to children whose parents and loved ones believe their kids’ interactions online led to their deaths.
“We want to make sure that things are changed so that… no more kids are lost to social media,” Prince Harry told BBC Breakfast in New York.
“Life is better off social media,” he continued, adding that he was “grateful” that his children were still too young to be online.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex share two children: a son, Archie, 5, and a daughter, Lilibet, 3.
The Duke of Sussex urged parents to keep their kids off social media during the event, which was hosted by the Archewell Foundation, the Duke and Duchess’s non-profit.
“The sad reality is the kids who aren’t on social media normally get bullied at school because they can’t be part of the same conversation as everybody else,” he continued.
The installation, entitled The Lost Screen Memorial, is comprised of 50 illuminated lightboxes that resemble smartphone screens, with each displaying a lock screen photo of a child whose life was cut short due to harmful online experiences.
“This tribute builds on over four years of work by the Duke and Duchess in the digital safety space, reflecting their continued commitment to creating a safer digital world,” the non-profit’s website says.
The memorial provides insight into each child’s story and includes recorded messages from their families.
globalnews
