Prince Harry says he warned Twitter CEO of Capitol riot

LONDON — Prince Harry has sharply attacked the failure of social media companies to challenge hate online, revealing that he warned the chief executive of Twitter ahead of the Jan. 6 Capitol riots that the site was being used to stage political unrest.

Harry made the comments Tuesday in an online panel on misinformation in California. He said he made his concerns known via email to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey the day before the riot in Washington.

“Jack and I were emailing each other prior to Jan. 6 where I warned him that his platform was allowing a coup to be staged,” Harry said at the RE: WIRED tech forum. “That email was sent the day before and then it happened and I haven’t heard from him since.”

Twitter declined to comment on Harry’s remarks.

Social media has come under fire for not doing enough to halt the spread of misinformation and content inciting political violence. The storming of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump is often cited as an example of the consequences of allowing online hate to fester.

The role of social media platforms in amplifying extremist views has come into sharp focus after revelations by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, who has told lawmakers in the U.S. and Europe that the company’s algorithmic systems spread online hate and that it has no incentive to change behaviour because it puts profits over safety.

Harry also targeted Youtube, saying many videos spreading COVID-19 misinformation were left up despite violating the site’s own policies.