Prince Harry Urges Companies To ‘Demand Change’ From Social Media Sites

Published on August 7, 2020.

(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Prince Harry is speaking out to demand change when it comes to social media!

In an essay for Fast Company, the Duke of Sussex said that a “better online experience” is crucial for those around the world who rely on social media for information.

“One could argue that access to accurate information is more important now than any other time in modern history,” Harry wrote. “And yet, the very places that allow disinformation to spread seem to throw their arms up when asked to take responsibility and find solutions.”

He shared that he and wife Meghan Markle have spoken with “leaders across the racial justice movement, experts in humane tech, and advocates of mental health. And the collective opinion is abundantly clear: We do not have the luxury of time.”

Harry urged businesses to move beyond statements disavowing “hate and racism, white nationalism and anti-Semitism, dangerous misinformation, and a well-established online culture that promotes violence and bigotry.”

“It is another thing for them to use their leverage, including through their advertising dollars, to demand change from the very places that give a safe haven and vehicle of propagation to hate and division,” Harry wrote. “We’re hopeful to see this approach amongst industry leaders become reality.”

Harry also spoke about the positive side of things and that there is hope for change. “Our hope is that it’s the beginning of a movement where we, as people, place community and connection, tolerance and empathy, and joy and kindness above all,” Harry wrote.

“The internet has enabled us to be joined together. We are now plugged into a vast nervous system that, yes, reflects our good, but too often also magnifies and fuels our bad. We can—and must—encourage these platforms to redesign themselves in a more responsible and compassionate way. The world will feel it, and we will all benefit from it.”