Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have called for tougher action from online platforms to keep children safe on the internet as they admit parenting isn't to blame.
How to keep kids safe online is at the forefront of every parent's mind but no matter how many internet safety tips for kids you read, companies in charge of online platforms and apps are coming up with new ways to engage with youngsters and parent's aren't always aware of the dangers. We reported how Paw Patrol was named as one of the 10 most popular kids' apps that are 'spying' on users and there are other factors to consider like how to reduce screen time.
In the US, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a bi-partisan hearing on online safety in front of dozens of parents whose children have suffered or died due to online harm and their bravery has been applauded by Prince Harry and Meghan who have vowed to help them make a change.
The Archewell Foundation has been working with many of these families to provide a support network for parents dealing with grief or who have children managing serious mental health conditions as a result of their exposure to harmful online content.
In a statement, Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and co-founders of The Archewell Foundation said, "We applaud the bravery and determination of the thousands of parents around the country whose advocacy resulted in this hearing. Over the past few years, we have spent time with many of these families, listening to their heartache and their hopes for the urgent change that is needed in the online space.
"This is an issue that transcends division and party lines, as we saw today at the Senate hearing. The best parenting in the world cannot keep children safe from these platforms. As one of the fathers shared with us, ‘If love could have saved them, all of our children would still be here.’"
It concluded, "This is not the time to pass the buck of responsibility. It’s the time to make necessary change at the source to keep our children safe.”
The committee has pledged to press big tech CEOs on failures to protect kids online during the landmark hearing and it's the first time bosses of companies including Discord, Meta, Snap, TikTok, and X (formerly known as Twitter) is testifying on online and sexual exploitation.
During the hearing, Chair Dick Durbin said, "The numbers that come back to us tell us the exploitation of children is growing by leaps and bounds. And what are we doing about it? We’re clinging to old law which basically exempts this industry from liability.
"The parents are fighting a losing battle. Parents doing their very best cannot keep up with this technology and these companies have the singular responsibility to police this.”
One member pointed out that in 2024 the "largest businesses in the history of mankind - social media- are unregulated."
And the Chair said he is committed to doing something about it.
Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg apologised to parents of social media victims who were holding up photos of their children on the Senate floor during the hearing, telling them "I'm sorry for everything you've been through. No one should go through the things that your families have suffered and this is why we invest so much and we are going to continue doing industry-wide efforts to make sure no one has to go through the things your families have had to suffer.”
And Snap Inc CEO Evan Spiegel, offered similar condolences to parents whose children were able to access illegal drugs on the Snapchat app - more than 60 teenagers filed suit in 2023 against Snap for allegedly facilitating their children's acquisitions of drugs that were used in overdoses.
Mr Spiegel said, "I’m so sorry that we have not been able to prevent these tragedies. We work very hard to block all search terms related to drugs on our platform."
The hearing continues, meanwhile, if you are looking for practical tips and advice to keep your children safe, here are 15 'life-saving' questions to ask your child if they’re online gaming - plus 5 expert tips for keeping your kids safe or do you want your teen gamer to sleep better? Here are 6 expert tips to ensure the screen isn’t keeping them awake all night (and #3 is so worth it).
