An impromptu appearance in Los Angeles this week was a lot for even Prince Harry to handle. The Prince spoke to parents who have lost their kids due to online harms. Harry has two kids of his own with wife, Meghan Markle.
Many grieving families have lodged a complaint against Instagram and YouTube, alleging that the platforms can damage the mental health of young people. It’s a cause that the Prince can relate to in a way, having sued The Daily Mail earlier this year for alleged unlawful information gathering. Mental health is also one of the causes he’s championed for years.
Prince Harry spoke with parents who lost their children to social media
He’s spoken countless times before, but even Prince Harry struggles with it sometimes. The youngest son of King Charles spoke from the heart on Wednesday about the trials and tribulations that victims’ families have endured due to online hate. He urged people not to feel ashamed or concerned for speaking up.
While he admits that his story is different from those present at that time, he knows the feeling of sitting in court and having overwhelming emotion. In October, the Prince alleges that The Daily Mail was targeting his brother and sister-in-law, Prince William and Kate Middleton. The teary-eyed Prince went on to tell the crowd in LA, “None of you should be here.” He went on to thank them for everything they’d done.
Harry told the people present that it may feel like a David-versus-Goliath situation for them. He says that there are three things that will come from all this: “Truth, justice and accountability.” The Prince joined British families who went to California to support their case.
Opening statements began this week in a Los Angeles superior court as Instagram and YouTube answer to claims that their sites deliberately addict and harm children. Reports indicate TikTok and Snap Chat were previously named in the suit, though both have since settled out of court. Instagram and YouTube are owned by Google and are backed by Meta. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify in court in this case next week.
TELL US – DO YOU BELIEVE YOUTUBE AND INSTAGRAM CAUSE HARM TO KIDS?
