Bipartisan discussions on child safety on the internet surrounded parents whose children have been harmed or lost as a result of online harm on Wednesday, at a crucial U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. There was a tangible sense of urgency in the room.
The Archewell Foundation, founded by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, is one of the organizations helping these families. It has been actively offering a network of support to parents who are struggling with bereavement and their children’s mental health crises brought on by harmful online content.
The Archewell Foundation’s co-founders, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, expressed their support by saying:
“We salute the courage and tenacity of the thousands of parents nationwide whose participation in the advocacy process led to this hearing.
We have spent time with many of these families over the past few years, hearing about their suffering and their aspirations for the drastic change that the online community so desperately needs.
As the Senate hearing today demonstrated, this is a problem that cuts across party lines and divisions. Even the most skilled parents are unable to completely protect their kids from these platforms. “All of our children would still be here if love could have saved them,” one of the fathers told us.
“Now is not the moment to abdicate accountability. Now is the moment to implement the essential changes at the source to safeguard our kids.
The Duke and Duchess’ dedication to protecting children online comes from a very personal place.
Prior to World Mental Health Day last year, Meghan has expressed her worries as a mother, most notably at ‘The Archewell Foundation Parents’ Summit: Mental Wellness in a Digital Age’ in New York.
Meghan articulated the intricacy of her role as a mother in the digital age, citing her personal family life and her young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet: “Being a mom is the most important thing in my entire life… outside of course, being a wife to this one [Prince Harry].”
“However, I must admit that while I am grateful that our kids are still relatively young and that this won’t affect us right away, I am also afraid of how things are changing and that it will happen right in front of us.”
She said, “They say being a parent – the days are long, but the years are short,” reflecting on how quickly time flies when you’re a parent. I’m concerned about it, but the progress we’ve made in the last year also gives me a lot of hope and energy.”
Meghan also talked about the heartbreaking experiences she had with families who had lost a child, highlighting the ongoing and changing problem that social media poses.
The Senate hearing brought together a wealth of knowledge and experiences, including the poignant testimonies of parents as well as the perspectives of experts and activists like Carson Daly of NBC, who is on the board of Project Healthy Minds.
Photo: © Netflix
The royals emphasized the need for positive reform and our shared responsibility to shield kids from the risks that lie behind screens.
In order to address the digital issues that have gotten in the way of family life, the meeting was a critical first step. It made clear how important it is for society to pay attention, comprehend, and take action in order to protect the mental health of the next generation.
