Sussexes: Social media not safe for children

THE Duke and Duchess of Sussex have warned that “the best parenting in the world” cannot keep children safe from social media.

The couple told technology companies including Meta, Tiktok, and X (formerly Twitter) that it was time to make the changes needed to keep young people safe online, rather than passing “the buck of responsibility”.

Prince Harry and Meghan issued a statement after the chief executives of several social media giants gave evidence before the US Senate Judiciary Committee, in front of parents whose children suffered or died because of online harm.

The Sussexes have been outspoken critics of the way such firms handle child safety and have worked for many months with families who lost children because of social media pressures.

In a statement on their Archewell website, they said: “We applaud the bravery and determination of the thousands of parents around the country whose advocacy resulted in this hearing.

“Over the past few years we have spent time with many of these families, listening to their heartache and their hopes for the urgent change that is needed in the online space.

“This is an issue that transcends division and party lines, as we saw today at the Senate hearing. The best parenting in the world cannot keep children safe from these platforms.”

“As one of the fathers shared with us: ‘If love could have saved them, all of our children would still be here.”

They added: “This is not the time to pass the buck of responsibility. It’s the time to make necessary change at the source to keep our children safe.”

Meanwhile, the couple are working on documentaries as well as a scripted series and a film for Netflix. Bela Bajaria, the streaming giant’s chief content officer, revealed that the Sussexes who signed a five-year deal in 2020 had several major projects in the pipeline.