prince harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussexthrough its Archewell Foundation, has released a strong statement regarding Australia’s implementation of the world’s first law banning the use of social media by children under 16. The couple, who have focused their charity work on cybersecurity and mental health, praised the country’s leadership while warning that the measure did not address the root causes of the crisis.
The bill, which takes effect on December 10, targets platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Twitter (X) and Snapchat, with potential fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($49.5 million) for companies that fail to prevent young users from using their services.
The Duke and Duchess summed up their mixed reactions with a strong statement: “Things should not have come to this.” They went further in their praise, celebrating the urgency of intervening in addiction and exploitation. “We applaud Australia’s leadership for seeing the negative impact these tech companies have on young people and taking action, with little recourse or accountability and ineffective efforts by these companies to stop the spread of harm,” the statement read.
Harry and Meghan stressed that this bold move sends a necessary signal to Silicon Valley. They argue the ban is vital to protecting children at a critical stage of development. “This bold, decisive action to protect children at a critical moment in their development sends a strong message that children’s minds are not commodities to be exploited. It buys young people valuable childhood years, but it does not solve the fundamental problems we still face on social media platforms.”
The couple noted that the government had to take action because of the devastating human toll. “We hear from too many grieving parents. Too many families have been devastated by cyberbullying, aggressive behavior that leads children to self-harm, and algorithmic manipulation to maximize participation at all costs.”
The statement also acknowledged the huge positive potential of social media, particularly for vulnerable young people, and argued that these platforms can be a “real lifeline” for LGBTQ+ young people and those experiencing mental health crises. However, ubiquitous harms often overshadow the benefits.
Central to the couple’s criticism is that the ban is only a temporary solution. “Here’s the truth: Bans are an effective measure to stop imminent harm, but they ultimately act as a Band-Aid and do nothing to address the bad design and exploitative business incentives of technology, which require us to protect young people first.”
The statement ended with a call for a “reckoning,” hoping Australia’s ban would force tech leaders to take responsibility for platforms that prioritize growth over security. The message pointed to the Sussexes’ perceived moral failings: “The ‘unintended consequences’ of the company from a decade ago are now part of their money-making strategy, and the children have become their collateral.”
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This article was originally published by Parade on December 11, 2025 and first appeared in the News section. Click here to add Parade as a preferred source.
