The Duke of Sussex has warned that the impact of social media on children is “one of the most pressing issues of our time”.
Harry and his wife the Duchess of Sussex were speaking at the Project Healthy Minds Gala in New York, where they received an award for their humanitarian work.
Citing that 4,000 families are taking legal action through the Social Media Victims Law Centre, the duke said more needed to be done to protect young people from online dangers.
“Tonight, we are all here together to focus on what remains one of the most pressing issues of our time,” Harry said.
“Let me share a number with you: 4,000. That’s how many families the Social Media Victims Law Centre is currently representing – families whose children have been harmed or lost forever to social media.
“Four thousand cases at just one firm. And that number represents only those parents who have been able to link their child’s circumstance to social media use.
He continued: “Parents who have learned legal action is possible, who have the capacity to pursue it while grieving, and parents who’ve found their way to help in the fight back against some of the wealthiest, most powerful corporations in the world.
“And even after this there may be no road to closure for grieving parents because these companies refuse to disclose their child’s information and activity on their platforms.
“If these were unintended consequences 10 years ago, what are they now?
“This is a pivotal moment in our collective mission to protect children and support families in the digital age.”
Meghan added that the couple often discussed how they would protect their own children, six-year-old Archie and Lili, four, as they grow older.
“Like so many parents, we think constantly about how to embrace technology’s benefits while safeguarding against its dangers,” the duchess said.
“That hopeful intention of separation is rapidly becoming impossible.”
The couple’s Archewell Foundation announced that its Parents’ Network initiative is joining forces with ParentsTogether, a non-profit organisation dedicated to family advocacy and online safety.
The move comes as the duke warned of “the explosion of unregulated artificial intelligence”.
“As our network grew, we’ve seen the full scope of what we’re facing,” Harry added.
“We have witnessed the explosion of unregulated artificial intelligence, heard more and more stories from heartbroken families, and watched parents all over the world become increasingly concerned about their children’s digital lives.
“When we learned that thousands of families from every corner of society were facing the same challenges, many learning for the first time that it was actually social media that took their child, we knew this movement needed to grow.
“These families are not only up against corporations and lobbyists, many of whom spend tens of millions of dollars every year in suppressing the truth, but also algorithms designed to maximise data collection at any cost.
“And their kids? They weren’t struggling with mental health issues, they weren’t distinctly vulnerable, they were preyed upon.”
