Prince Harry and Meghan Markle just responded to Australia’s groundbreaking decision to ban social media for kids under 16.
Their statement, released through the Archewell Foundation, praised the move but warned it’s just the beginning of what needs to happen.
The Duke and Duchess didn’t hold back, calling out tech companies for treating children’s minds as commodities.
As parents themselves to 6-year-old Prince Archie and 4-year-old Princess Lilibet, Harry and Meghan have made online safety for young people a cornerstone of their philanthropic work.
Australia Makes History With Social Media Ban
On December 10, Australia became the first country worldwide to implement a complete social media ban for children under 16 years old. The Online Safety Amendment passed with overwhelming public support.
The legislation targets major platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, Snapchat, and X. Companies face fines up to AUD$50 million if they fail to keep underage users off their services.
Harry and Meghan’s statement called the move “an urgent intervention to address unsafe and addictive platforms” that have been harming young people with minimal accountability.
The Archewell Foundation’s Response
Through their charitable organization, the couple released a lengthy statement celebrating Australia’s bold action.
We celebrate Australia’s leadership for seeing and acting on how these technology companies are negatively impacting young people with little to no recourse or accountability, and feeble efforts from the companies to stem the flow of harms.
The statement emphasized that the legislation sends a strong signal that children’s developing minds shouldn’t be exploited for profit. Harry and Meghan argued the ban gives young people “valuable time back in their childhoods.”
But There’s A Major Caveat
Despite praising Australia’s leadership, the Duke and Duchess warned the ban doesn’t solve the fundamental problem. They characterized the law as “an effective measure” for immediate harm but only a “band aid” long-term.
This bold, decisive action to protect children at a critical moment in their development sends a strong signal that a child’s mind is not a commodity to be exploited. It buys young people valuable time back in their childhoods, but it doesn’t fix the fundamental issue we all still face with social media platforms.
The statement argued the ban doesn’t address “tech’s broken design and exploitive business incentives” that create harm in the first place.
Acknowledging Social Media’s Double-Edged Sword
Harry and Meghan didn’t paint social media as entirely negative. Their statement acknowledged platforms can serve as genuine lifelines for vulnerable youth.
They specifically mentioned LGBTQ+ young people and those struggling with mental health who find crucial support online.
But when there’s no option to opt out of the harms, the very lifeline they might depend on can become the very thing that kills them.
That stark warning reflects the couple’s deep involvement with families who’ve experienced tragedy connected to social media use.
The Parents’ Network: Born From Tragedy
In 2022, Harry and Meghan launched The Parents’ Network through Archewell Foundation. The initiative creates community for families devastated by social media’s impact on their children.
The network supports parents who lost children to social media-driven suicide or whose kids have suffered because of online harms.
We’ve heard from too many grieving parents… Children currently have no right to privacy and no expectation of safety, and they’ve been hooked.
Their statement argued that young people have legitimate concerns about how age restrictions will be regulated. Companies prioritize profits while “children have become their collateral.”
Calling For American Innovation To Step Up
The couple, now California-based after stepping back from royal duties in 2020, made pointed comments about American tech companies.
We hope this ban is only the start of a reckoning between society and the tech companies that built these platforms with growth as their first principle instead of safety.
They emphasized American innovation has historically brought positive change globally. Now they’re hoping for “a course correction” with technologies that occupy every waking moment.
Their statement suggested companies need to fundamentally redesign platforms with safety as the primary concern, not user growth and engagement.
Parenting In The Digital Age
Harry recently discussed his own parenting approach during an appearance on the Hasan Minhaj Doesn’t Know podcast in October.
We talk about it a lot. I think that because of what we know now, we will be way more cautious and hesitant of allowing our kids to have access to social media, but the problem is, so many parents don’t have that awareness.
Prince Harry acknowledged the challenge modern parents face. While phones themselves are important tools for children, they also serve as gateways to potentially harmful content.
Because in no logical, fair, ethical, moral world, should a parent have to consider this app, that sits on the phone — which by the way, having a phone for your kid is a really important thing — but the moment that you give them the gateway to everything else, kids will be kids.
Recognition For Mental Health Advocacy
Harry and Meghan’s work hasn’t gone unnoticed. In October 2025, they accepted the Humanitarians of the Year Award at Project Healthy Minds’ World Mental Health Day Gala.
The recognition honored their efforts advancing mental well-being globally and creating safer online spaces. They appeared at multiple events during World Mental Health Day, introducing panels about mental health and young people.
Their continued advocacy keeps pressure on tech companies while supporting families already impacted by social media harm. As Archie and Lilibet grow older, Harry and Meghan’s personal stake in these issues will only intensify.