Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have responded to Australia’s historic decision.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Archewell Foundation has issued a statement praising the Australian law banning children under 16 from accessing social media, which comes into effect on Wednesday, December 10.
The law targets platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook,
In a statement titled “Australia takes bold steps to protect children online. But it shouldn’t have come to this,” the couple’s Foundation praised the Australian government’s decisive decision and warned that the move represents only a temporary solution to a deeper problem within the tech industry.
The foundation praised the country for recognizing and responding to the harmful impact that technology companies have had on young people.
“This bold and decisive action to protect children at a critical time in their development sends a strong signal that a child’s mind is not an asset to be exploited,” the statement read.
Archewell described the legislation as a way to give young people “valuable time in their childhood,” although he stressed that the ban does not solve the underlying problems that continue to plague social media platforms.
The Sussexes’ stance on improving online safety measures has received particular support with the move, as the couple have long advocated saving children from the harm of social media.
The statement painted a grim picture of the harm caused by unregulated platforms: “We have heard from too many grieving parents. Too many families devastated by cyberbullying, feeds that radicalize children toward self-harm, and algorithmic manipulation designed to maximize participation at any cost.”
“The ‘unintended consequences’ of companies from a decade ago are now part of their money-making strategy, and children have become their collateral,” the statement states.
However, the Foundation recognized that social media has considerable capacity for positive impact and noted that platforms can foster creativity, provide educational resources and help young people discover their communities.
