‘This is not free will’: Prince Harry blames social media for youth ‘epidemic’

Prince Harry said today’s youth is in the midst of an “epidemic” of anxiety, depression, and social isolation due to negative experiences online, as he brought his campaign to help children and their parents navigate cyberspace to this week’s Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). “These platforms are designed to create addiction,” Harry, 40, said in remarks Tuesday in New York City. “Young people are kept there by mindless, endless, numbing scrolling—being force-fed content that no child should ever be exposed to. This is not free will.” Beyond supporting parents and youth throughout this advocacy, the Duke of Sussex stressed the need for corporate accountability. He asked why leaders of powerful social media companies are still held to the “lowest ethical standards”—and called on shareholders to demand tangible change. “Parenting doesn’t end with the birth of a child. Neither does founding a company,” said Harry, who revealed that his smartphone lock screen is a photo of his children, five-year-old Prince Archie and three-year-old Princess Lilibet. “We have a duty and a responsibility to see our creations through.” Harry’s remarks arrive as pressures continue to mount on tech giants like Meta, Snap, and TikTok to make their online platforms safer, particularly for younger users. Many children on these platforms are exposed to content that is not age appropriate, such as violence or misinformation. Others face unrealistic beauty standards, bullying, and sexual harassment. Companies have made some changes over the years—with Instagram, for example, announcing last week that it would be making teen accounts private by default in a handful of countries. But safety advocates have long-stressed that there’s more work to be done. Many also maintain that companies still put too much responsibility on parents when it comes to keeping children safe on social media. Harry’s contribution to this year’s CGI annual meeting was part of the “what’s working” theme, in a panel that included former President Bill Clinton, Clinton Foundation Vice Chair Chelsea Clinton, and World Central Kitchen founder José Andrés. The Archewell Foundation, which Harry founded with his wife, Meghan Markle, to carry out their philanthropic work, recently launched an initiative supporting parents whose children have suffered or died due to online harms. Harry highlighted the work of that initiative, called the Parents Network, in his speech Tuesday. The foundation has also partnered with the World Health Organization and others to end violence against children, an issue he and Meghan outlined during a recent trip to Colombia. Harry on Tuesday pointed to the inaugural Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, which is set to take place in Bogotá this November. He said that this meeting could result in the first global agreement for prioritizing child safety and protection online. His CGI address was part of a string of appearances for Harry in New York at the growing number of humanitarian and philanthropic events that run alongside the United Nations General Assembly Week. On Monday, he appeared at an event for the HALO Trust, where he discussed how the work of the landmine clearing charity was influential by his late mother, Princess Diana, as well as at the 2024 Concordia Annual Summit, where he spoke with winners of The Diana Award. “The HALO Trust’s work in Angola meant a great deal to my mother,” he said. “Carrying on her legacy is a responsibility that I take seriously. And I think we all know how much she would want us to finish this particular job.” Harry’s message on Tuesday was generally well-received at the conference. Nia Faith, 22, cofounder of the Canadian nonprofit Revolutionnaire, which works to empower youth and uses social media to mobilize members, said she saw his presentation as a “call to action” on an issue that does not get enough attention. “I was incredibly moved by Prince Harry’s speech,” she said. “At Revolutionnaire, we use digital advocacy and social media to empower youth to make a positive impact. We also recognized that social media is being used in a way that is harmful and detrimental to the mental health of young people.” Faith hopes that Harry’s work will convince companies and governments to take action to protect children while encouraging the use of platforms to drive more positive action. Ashley Lashley, 25, whose Ashley Lashley Foundation works to address environmental challenges in her native Barbados by motivating young people to take action in their communities, said she was impressed by his remarks, even though she also worries about the digital divide in her country. “His message really hit home that parents, teachers, and students really need to unite to educate each other about the safe usage of digital technology,” she said. “I really believe that there needs to be a multi-sectorial approach. That’s what we’re seeing here at