Statement issued on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Archewell website over social media ban
Australia has become the first country to ban social media for under 16sPrince Harry and Meghan Markle have issued a statement through their Archewell Foundation website in response to Australia’s social media ban.
Australia has become the first country to ban social media for everyone under the age of 16. TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, X, Threads, YouTube, Reddit, Kick and Twitch are all impacted by the changes. Companies that fail to comply will incur a hefty fine. The ban aims to protect young people from harmful online content.
The Sussexes, who have passionately campaigned for stronger protections for children online, have questioned the ban’s effectiveness, saying it “only works as a band aid”.
Harry and Meghan’s Archewell website releases statement
A new statement, powerfully entitled “Australia Takes Bold Action to Protect Kids Online. But It Shouldn’t Have Come to This” has appeared on Archewell’s official website.
Harry and Meghan set up Archewell in 2020, after they stepped back from their working royal roles. Its mission is simple, “show up, do good”.
The statement begins by congratulating Australia on their world-first, reading: “We celebrate Australia’s leadership for seeing and acting on how these technology companies are negatively impacting young people with little to no recourse or accountability. This bold, decisive action to protect children at a critical moment in their development sends a strong signal that a child’s mind is not a commodity to be exploited.”
It adds that the ban “buys young people valuable time back in their childhoods”.
‘Ultimately only works as a band aid’
However, the Sussexes go on to warn that the new legislation “doesn’t fix the fundamental issue we all still face with social media platforms”.
“The ban is an effective measure to stop imminent harm, but ultimately only works as a band aid that does not address tech’s broken design and exploitive business incentives, requiring us to protect young people in the first place,” they explain.
“Young people know they will live their lives with these platforms whether it’s now or later in life. They are calling for technology that is safe by default and design, not as a reaction to avoidable, sometimes fatal, harm. They are rightly concerned about how age-restrictions will be enforced and whether it will create new opportunities for their lives to be surveilled.”
The message finishes poignantly: “We look forward to the next step to hold tech accountable for its design choices and hope leaders of new technologies learn the lessons of failing to prioritize the well-being of young people. The world is watching to see if they’ll finally take responsibility and make the changes the world so desperately need.”
Harry and Meghan’s passion about online safety
The issue is close to Harry and Meghan’s hearts.
Two years ago, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex set up the Parents’ Network with their Archewell Foundation charity. The initiative offers support for parents whose children have experienced harm from social media.
Earlier this year, the couple also unveiled a memorial in New York City. It’s dedicated to children whose families believe harmful online material contributed to their deaths.
Read more: Meghan Markle makes contact with her father as statement reveals ‘exceedingly difficult’ task
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