Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reacted to Australia’s historic decision.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Archewell Foundation has released a statement welcoming Australia’s law banning children under the age of 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 is taking bold action to protect children online. But it shouldn’t have come to this,” the couple’s Foundation welcomed the Australian government’s decisive move while warning that the measure 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 of tech companies 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 a commodity to be exploited,” the statement said.
Archewell described the legislation as giving young people “valuable time in their childhood,” while emphasizing that the ban does not address the underlying issues that continue to plague social media platforms.
The Sussexes’ stance for improved online safety measures received particular support with this action, as the couple have long advocated for saving children from the harms of social media.
The statement paints 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 engagement at all costs. »
“The ‘unintended consequences’ of businesses a decade ago are now part of their money-making strategy, and children have become their collateral,” the statement said.
However, the Foundation recognized that social media possesses considerable capacity for positive impact, noting that the platforms can foster creativity, provide educational resources and help young people discover their communities.
