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In a new interview with Fast Company, Prince Harry explains why he and his wife, Meghan Markle, are working so actively to raise awareness of the dangers of spreading incorrect information online. The Duke of Sussex said that the often racist, sexist and overtly false tabloid coverage surrounding his relationship with the Duchess made him wary of social media.
“I was really surprised to witness how my story was told in a way, my wife’s story was told in a way and then our union generated something that made the narration of this story very different,” said Prince Harry in the interview. “This false narrative has become the mother ship of all the harassment you are referring to. It would not have even started if our story had been told with sincerity.”
Prince Harry expressed that while the couple’s lives have been affected by false stories that often circulate online, this has also led them to meet other people around the world who are working to combat the spread of misinformation.
“But the important thing about what we live in is that it has led us to listen to so many other people around the world. We think a lot about those in positions much more vulnerable than we are, and how much need there is for real empathy and support,” the prince.
“In their own degree, everyone has been deeply affected by the current consequences of the digital space. It can be as individual as seeing a loved one walk the path of radicalization or as collective as seeing the science behind the denied climate crisis. they are all vulnerable to it, which is why I don’t see it as a matter of technology or politics – it is a humanitarian issue. ”
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The Duke of Sussex, who now lives in California with his wife and son, Archie, also addressed this month’s attacks on the United States Capitol building. Many blamed the siege on former President Donald Trump’s dangerous use of social media to spread falsehoods about the results of the 2020 presidential election.
“We are losing loved ones to conspiracy theories, losing our sense of identity because of the flood of untruths and, on a large scale, losing our democracies. The magnitude of this cannot be overstated, as noted even by the deserters who helped build them platforms, “continued Prince Harry. “It takes courage to stand up, name where things went wrong and offer proposals and solutions. The need for that is greater than ever. So I am encouraged and grateful for the increase in people who work or have worked – Within these same platforms choosing speak out against hatred, violence, division and confusion.
“I think it’s a false choice to say that you have to choose between freedom of speech or a more compassionate and reliable digital world. They are not mutually exclusive ”.
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