Prince Harry and Meghan are urging parents to unite against social media companies, accusing them of using “predatory algorithms” and unregulated artificial intelligence to exploit children for their data.
The couple’s remarks came as they were honored as Humanitarians of the Year by the nonprofit Project Healthy Minds at a gala in Manhattan on Thursday night.
“Like so many parents, we think constantly about how to embrace technology’s benefits while safeguarding against its dangers,” Meghan said. “And that hopeful intention of separation is rapidly becoming impossible.”
To illustrate their point, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex cited a new study from the advocacy group ParentsTogether. In the study, staff posing as children on the AI chatbot app Character.AI reported experiencing a harmful interaction every five minutes.
“This wasn’t content created by a third party. These were the companies’ own chatbots working to advance their own depraved internal policies,” Prince Harry said. “But here’s what gives us hope: these families aren’t facing this alone.”
As part of their efforts, the couple announced that their Archewell Foundation’s Parents Network would join forces with ParentsTogether to create a larger, unified movement for online safety.
Ailen Arreaza, the executive director of ParentsTogether, described their mission as a “David vs. Goliath fight” against “multi-billionaire companies that are actively trying to get our kids addicted.”
A Focus on Design and Accountability
Youth mental health has been a cornerstone of the couple’s philanthropic work since they founded the Archewell Foundation in 2020. Their focus has increasingly shifted to highlighting how platforms’ specific design features are built to amplify damaging content.
At a World Mental Health Day Festival panel presented by Archewell, young advocates described how the lack of regulation exposes them to online spaces designed to capitalize on their emotional needs. One teenage panelist shared that she developed an eating disorder after TikTok’s algorithm relentlessly pushed weight-loss recipe videos onto her “For You” page.
“When we talk about social media and how young people rely on it, we also need to talk about: how can we address these needs in-person so that they’re getting the same support that they need?” asked panelist Jayla Stokesberry, a research assistant at Hopelab.
The issue is also personal for the couple. Meghan has spoken publicly about her own mental health struggles, while Prince Harry has been a vocal critic of the tabloid press and has been the target of phone hacking and surveillance.
The Power of “Culture Makers”
Phil Schermer, the CEO of Project Healthy Minds, praised “culture makers” like Harry and Meghan for inspiring their audiences to seek mental health care. However, he emphasized that this “moment of inspiration is fleeting” and must be followed by partnerships with trusted organizations that can deliver that care.
Schermer pointed to the gala’s host, NBC personality and PHM board member Carson Daly, as a prime example. Daly, who first opened up about his anxiety after reading an essay by NBA star Kevin Love, said mental health is now the most common topic fans approach him about.
“I was like, ’I want to put all my eggs in this basket’ because I see the power even when I tell my story, it unlocks so many other people telling their story,” Daly said. “And I think that process — that’s how the destigmatization works.”
Schermer added that Daly helps “make it cool to talk about your emotions,” reframing vulnerability as a “superpower.”
The funds raised by the gala will help Project Healthy Minds, a tech nonprofit, build new filters for its free online marketplace. Schermer compared the planned features to travel sites like Expedia, allowing users to find mental health services filtered by insurance provider, location, and telehealth preferences.
The event also honored Kalen Jackson, co-owner of the Indianapolis Colts, with the inaugural Sports Visionary of the Year Award, presented by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Jackson leads her family’s Kicking The Stigma initiative to raise awareness and expand mental health care access.
