Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have called for tougher action to protect children from the potential harms of social media.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made the plea as they helped unveil a temporary memorial to young people who have died after being exposed to online content that their families say was harmful.
The “Lost Screen” installation in New York City – which is open for 24 hours – features 50 illuminated lightboxes, designed to resemble smartphones, each displaying a photo of a child “whose life was cut short by digital dangers”.
Prince Harry described the issue as a “growing crisis”, adding: “Social media is quietly taking our children, and those with the power to make change are failing to act.”
In a statement shared with Sky News, he said: “These children were not sick. Their deaths were not inevitable – they were exposed to, and in many cases were pushed harmful content online, the kind any child could encounter.
“No child should be exploited, groomed, or preyed upon in digital spaces. To the platforms, they may be seen as statistics. To their families, they were cherished and irreplaceable.”
The Duke added: “While social media companies claim to be taking action, most still withhold critical data from grieving parents – data that could provide answers and accountability.”
The couple, who attended a private vigil at the memorial, said the nearly 50 families involved were “a powerful representation of the thousands of families who have lost their children to online harm”.
The families are part of The Parents’ Network, a support group set up by the Duke and Duchess’s Archewell Foundation as part of the charity’s efforts to tackle the issue.
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It comes after the couple spoke to CBS News last summer of their fears about their children, son Archie and daughter Lilibet, being exposed to harmful content online when they grow older.
Meghan told the US broadcaster: “Our kids are young … they’re amazing, but all you want to do as parents is protect them.
“And so as we can see what’s happening in the online space, we know that there’s a lot of work to be done there, and we’re just happy to be a part of change for good.”
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Ofcom unveiled new proposals on Thursday to impose heavy fines or even bans on social media firms which fail to protect young users.
The measures form part of the UK watchdog’s children’s codes, part of the Online Safety Act, which aims to set out rules on what online platforms must do to protect children.
