Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ask families to join fight against predatory social media policies

NEW YORK (AP) — Prince Harry and Meghan Markle urged parents to stand against social media companies that they said prey upon children with exploitative algorithms as the “explosion of unregulated artificial intelligence” adds to their concerns that technologies’ benefits are inseparable from its dangers.

To underscore that point, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex cited research from advocacy group ParentsTogether that found researchers posing as children experienced harmful interactions every five minutes they spent with an artificial intelligence chatbot.

“This wasn’t content created by a third party. These were the companies’ own chatbots working to advance their own depraved internal policies,” said Prince Harry at Spring Studios in Manhattan Thursday night as he and Markle were named Humanitarians of the Year by the nonprofit Project Healthy Minds. “But here’s what gives us hope: these families aren’t facing this alone.”

To build their movement of families fighting for online safety, the couple also announced Thursday that their foundation’s Parents Network would join forces with ParentsTogether.

Their remarks came at the annual gala for Project Healthy Minds, a Millennial- and Gen Z-driven tech nonprofit that runs a free online marketplace aiming to connect patients with the exact mental health care they seek.

The couple has made youth mental health a cornerstone of their philanthropic work since launching the Archewell Foundation in 2020 after stepping aside as working royals. Through its network for families who have experienced online harm and support of youth-led organizations shaping responsible technology, the nonprofit works to make digital spaces safer.

Prince Harry has previously stressed the need to hold powerful social media companies accountable. He warned last year that young people are experiencing an “epidemic” of anxiety, depression and social isolation driven by negative experiences online.

According to few guardrails exist to mitigate kids’ exposure to age-inappropriate content including pornography and violence on social media, where they also face cyberbullying and sexual harassment.

The issue could also be considered personal for the couple. Markle has been open about her mental health struggles due to what she describes as the royal family’s intense pressures and tabloid attacks. Harry’s own personal life has been the subject of much tabloid reporting, including targeted phone hacking and surveillance.

Prince Harry brought his awareness campaign to a reception Wednesday night hosted by men’s health nonprofit Movember. In a conversation with television journalist Brooke Baldwin, he emphasized that men should not feel isolated because he repeatedly hears the same struggles when he speaks with them.

“The biggest barrier is the belief that no one will understand,” he said in comments reshared on his blog. “Loneliness convinces you you’re the only one, which is rarely true.”

“Culture makers” such as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are important voices in mental health conversations because they inspire their enormous audiences to seek care, according to Project Healthy Minds CEO Phil Schermer.

But Schermer emphasized that the “moment of inspiration is fleeting” and it’s important for celebrities to take the extra step of partnering with trusted organizations that can actually deliver care.

He pointed to NBC television personality Carson Daly, the gala’s host, as an example. Daly opened up about his own anxiety on the air after reading a 2018 essay by NBA champion Kevin Love about an in-game panic attack.

Daly, a Project Healthy Minds board member, said mental health is now the most common topic that comes up when fans recognize him in public.

“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 told the Associated Press. “And I think that process — that’s how the destigmatization works.”

The money raised Thursday night will help the nonprofit build new filters that break down care options by their insurance providers and preferences for in-person or telehealth service options, according to Schermer. He compared the features to those on travel planning sites such as Expedia that allow users to choose the times, prices and airlines of their flight options.

Schermer said that having a recognizable host in Daly also helps “make it cool to talk about your emotions.”

“It’s not just the absence of a stigma,” Schermer said. “It’s also the presence of a sense of pride that by being vulnerable, being honest, being open, that that’s actually your greatest superpower.”

Thursday night’s other honoree was Indianapolis Colts co-owner and chief brand officer Kalen Jackson. The NFL executive — who talks openly about dealing with anxiety — has continued the team’s staunch support for mental health after the death of her father and beloved former owner Jim Irsay.

Project Healthy Minds recognized Jackson with its inaugural Sports Visionary of the Year Award, presented by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Jackson leads her family’s Kicking The Stigma initiative, which raises awareness about mental health disorders and tries to expand access to care across Indiana and country.

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