Prince Harry and Meghan Markle founded The Parents' Network last summer to support families who have suffered from the harmful effects of social media, and on Thursday, April 24, the couple—together with their Archewell Foundation—unveiled a powerful installation to honor young people lost too soon.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who have been in NYC this week for the TIME100 Summit, gathered with close to 50 affected families at the Lost Screen Memorial for a private vigil and moment of remembrance.
According to The Archewell Foundation, the memorial, located near Madison Square Garden, features "50 large, illuminated smartphones, each displaying the lock screen photo of a child whose life was lost and tragically cut short due to the harms of social media." Last September, the Duke of Sussex spoke about the dangers of online spaces today at the Clinton Global Initiative in front of a backdrop featuring similar lock screen images.
These heartbreaking personal photos were shared by members of The Archewell Foundation Parents’ Network to draw attention to the urgent need for safer online spaces for young people and to honor their children's memories.
"These children were not sick. Their deaths were not inevitable—they were exposed to, and in many cases were pushed harmful content online, the kind any child could encounter," the Duke of Sussex said. "No child should be exploited, groomed, or preyed upon in digital spaces. To the platforms, they may be seen as statistics. To their families, they were cherished and irreplaceable."
The parents of these young people were invited to New York by the Foundation to lay flowers at each handset. The installation in NYC will remain open for 24 hours, and a virtual version of the memorial includes stories of each child along with personal voice messages.
The Archewell Foundation notes that while political leaders have been speaking out about the need for safer online spaces, no legislation has been passed to turn those commitments into action. This level of inaction comes "despite 40 congressional hearings on online harms since 2017 and 95 percent of young people reporting active use of these platforms."
Prince Harry added, "While social media companies claim to be taking action, most still withhold critical data from grieving parents—data that could provide answers and accountability. This is a growing crisis. Social media is quietly taking our children, and those with the power to make change are failing to act."
"This memorial is a collective act of remembrance, and a call to action. Each photo represents not just a child lost, but a family forever changed," James Holt and Shauna Nep, executive directors of The Archewell Foundation said in a statement. "These parents are sharing the most painful parts of their lives so that no other family must experience the same heartbreak."
Nepp and Holt continued, "We hope this memorial inspires all of us—tech leaders, policymakers, and community members alike—to listen to their stories, to learn from them, and most importantly, to act. Online spaces should be safe by design, not an afterthought."
