Social media can be used for positive reasons though, in many cases, it can also do great harm. Like so many of us, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are very familiar with the power of the various digital platforms across the Internet. It’s for that reason that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are now making it their mission to spread awareness in that regard. Harry and Meghan have established a new initiative that aims to prevent young people around the world from losing their lives due to reasons pertaining to cyberspace. With that, the two royals discussed their desire to “protect” their kids along with other children from the dangers associated with the world wide web.
The couple recently sat down to discuss The Parents’ Network, which they founded to serve as a resource to parents who’ve lost their kids due to online abuse or have children who are struggling with it. During the discussion (which is the couple’s first joint TV interview since their viral chat with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, Meghan Markle opened up about her and her spouse’s two children, Archie (5) and Lilibet (3). The kids may be young right now but, based on Markle’s comments, she and Harry are already keen on making sure they aren’t exposed to the negative elements associated with online spaces:
Our kids are young; they're three and five. 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 able to be a part of change for good.
It goes without saying that cyberbullying is a sensitive issue and one that’s been discussed for some time now. Said topic also hits close to home for Meghan Markle, who rose to prominence as a member of the Suits cast. In the time since she and Prince Harry have been together, Markle has received online hate from commenters. On the flip side of that, some have also alleged that she could make a lot of money via social media by sharing posts. Nevertheless, Markle has used platforms sparingly and seems more concerned about the less desirable aspects of the Internet. With that, during the chat with CBS News Sunday Morning, she was also candid about her own experiences with suicidal ideation:
And when you've been through any level of pain or trauma, I believe part of our healing journey (certainly part of mine) is being able to be really open about it. And you know, I haven't really scraped the surface on my experience. But I do think that I would never want someone else to feel that way. And I would never want someone else to be making those sort of plans. And I would never want someone else to not be believed. So, if me voicing what I have overcome will save someone, or encourage someone in their life to really genuinely check in on them and not assume that the appearance is good, so everything's okay, then that's worth it. I'll take a hit for that.
Prince Harry, who returned home months ago to visit his father, King Charles in the UK, shared keen thoughts as well. He was asked by interviewer Jane Pauley about the notion of some parents not being able to understand the trials and tribulations of those who’ve lost children to suicide due to social media usage. But, as the prince pointed out, that doesn’t mean similar circumstances couldn’t befall those people:
They certainly could. And that's, I think, one of the scariest things that we've learnt over the course of the last 16, 17 years that social media's been around, and more so recently, is the fact that it could happen to absolutely anybody. We always talk about in the olden days if your kids were under your roof, you knew what they were up to; at least they were safe, right? And now, they could be in the next-door room on a tablet or on a phone and can be going down these rabbit holes. And before you know it, within 24 hours, they could be taking their life.
Netflix subscription holders who’ve seen Harry & Meghan surely know that the two are passionate about their causes but make their children the priority. As conveyed in this interview, their hope is that Archie, Lilibet and others from being harmed by social media or harming themselves because of it. Markle, who’s been on the receiving end of criticism from Piers Morgan and others over the years, shared the following statement about how others can help in their cause:
I think you have to start somewhere. I think the simplest thing that anyone watching this or anyone who's able to make change to look at it through the lens of, 'What if it was my daughter? What if it was my son? My son, or my daughter who comes home, who are joyful, who I love, and one day, right under my roof, our entire lives change because of something that was completely out of our control?' And if you look at it through the lens as a parent, there is no way to see that any other way than to try to find a solution.
As hard as such subject matter may be to discuss, it’s wonderful that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are using their platform to discuss all of this. One would hope that The Parents’ Network will mark a viable step for helping to combat cyberbullying and other negative elements associated with social media.
Should you happen to know someone who’s in distress and/or considering suicide, there are resources available to you. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can provide assistance. And you can also reach out to The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) from Monday through Friday at 10 a.m.-10 p.m. ET.
