Prince Harry and Meghan Markle unveiled a memorial in New York City last night, which is dedicated to ‘honouring the lives of children lost to online harm’.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also called for more protections for children from the dangers of social media, claiming that ‘enough is not being done’.
Called the ‘Lost Screen Memorial’, the installation features of 50 large, illuminated smartphones, each displaying the lock screen photo of a child who died after being exposed to bullying behaviour online.
The images of the children were shared by parents who are members of The Archewell Foundation Parents’ Network.
They donated the pictures to ‘honor their children’s memories and to call attention to the urgent need for safer online spaces’.
As the monument was unveiled, the parents were invited to New York to lay flowers at each handset.
There is also virtual version of the installation, which will include information about each child. In addition, some of the parents have recorded a personal voice message for people to listen to.
Harry and Meghan attended a private vigil at the site last night with families of the children as part of the Archewell Foundation’s ‘No Child Lost to Social Media’ campaign.
Meghan Markle is pictured embracing one of the attendees at the installation unveiling in New York City on Wednesday evening
The monument features 50 screens, each showing an image of a child who has died as a result of online harm
Prince Harry (pictured) has called on tech giants to do more to keep children safe, saying ‘while social media companies claim to be taking action, most still withhold critical data from grieving parents’
And Harry told BBC Breakfast: ‘We want to make sure that things are changed so that… no more kids are lost to social media. Life is better off social media.’
The 40-year-old Duke added that he was ‘grateful’ that his children Prince Archie, five, and three-year-old Princess Lilibet were still too young to be online.
Speaking to journalists at an Archewell Foundation event, Harry also said: ‘The easiest thing to say is to keep your kids away from social media.
‘The sad reality is the kids who aren’t on social media normally get bullied at school because they can’t be part of the same conversation as everybody else.
‘Life is better off of social media. I say that as a parent, and I say that as someone who’s spoken to many of the kids here tonight who lost a brother or a sister to social media. But clearly, enough is not enough. Enough is not being done.’
He continued: ‘Some of the stories here are truly harrowing. You think you’ve heard the worst of it until nights like this, here in America. Some of these stories – they are crime scenes – and these companies are getting away with it by saying, ‘We don’t need to give you disclosure’.
According to Archewell’s executive directors, ‘each photo represents not just a child lost, but a family forever changed’
The images were donated by parents, to both pay tribute to their children, and to call attention to the urgent need for safer online spaces
Speaking about the children honored by the memorial, Prince Harry said ‘these children were not sick. Their deaths were not inevitable – they were exposed to…harmful content online’
Families of the children were invited to the unveiling of the installation, with some laying flowers in front of the screens
Speaking about how the internet can be a dangerous place, Prince Harry said ‘no child should be exploited, groomed, or preyed upon in digital spaces’
‘For families, some of the arguments that are being made around privacy – you’re telling a parent, you’re telling a dad and a mum that they can’t have the details of what happened.’
The Duke also accused technology firms of ‘getting away with it’, saying they did not need to disclose information to families in Britain due to privacy considerations.
Prince Harry said: ‘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.
‘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.
‘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.
The ‘Lost Screen Memorial’ installation was unveiled by the Sussexes on Wednesday. They also held a vigil with parents
Speaking about the children who were honored in the installation, Prince Harry said ‘to the platforms, they may be seen as statistics. To their families, they were cherished and irreplaceable’
Archewell’s executive directors said they hope the memorial will inspire ‘tech leaders, policymakers, and community members alike’ to act when it comes to creating safer spaces online
‘Social media is quietly taking our children, and those with the power to make change are failing to act.’
The installation has been described as a continuation of The Archewell Foundation’s The Parents’ Network initiative, which ‘supports families navigating the digital world, working to safeguard them from online harms, and supporting their mental health recovery process’.
In a statement about the installation, James Holt and Shauna Nep, Executive Directors of The Archewell Foundation said: ‘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.
‘These parents are sharing the most painful parts of their lives so that no other family must experience the same heartbreak.
‘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.’
On Thursday, Meghan took to Instagram to discuss the installation unveiling. She shared a video of the event, which was accompanied by a long caption.
While the physical installation is in New York, there is a virtual version which shares more information about the children honored by the memorial
The poignant event on Wednesday saw families coming together as they paid tribute to their children
According to a statement from Archewell’s executive directors: ‘These parents are sharing the most painful parts of their lives so that no other family must experience the same heartbreak’
Meghan was pictured engaging with parents at the event last night, as they honored their children during a vigil
It said: ‘An important and emotional evening last night in NY as we unveiled #NoChildLostToSocialMedia with parents and families who have lost their children to online harms.
‘My husband and I have worked with many of these families for the last several years, and through The Archewell Foundation and our program The Parents’ Network, we support them in their grief and stand with them in their call for action.
‘No matter how divided the world may be, we can all agree that we want our children to be safe from harm. That is a universal truth.
‘If you choose to be on social media, let’s be the example for our youth, sharing goodness and kindness and positivity. Let’s tell our children that they are enough, and that this life is worth living.
‘And let’s ensure that no child is lost to social media. With your support, we can effect change.’
