Prince Harry urges tech giants to open up on child safety after father's arrest
Meghan Markle accompanied her husband to Brussels for a memorial event, though she stepped back from speaking due to emotional strain.
By Vanessa Lopez ·
Prince Harry addressed lawmakers in Brussels on Tuesday, demanding greater transparency from technology firms regarding the safety of children online. This marked the first public outing for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex since her father was detained on suspicion of possessing images of child abuse.
The monarch's visit coincided with the unveiling of the Lost Screen Memorial at the European Parliament. The installation features large-scale replicas of smartphones, each displaying the photograph of a child who died after suffering harm on social media platforms.
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, was slated to deliver remarks alongside her husband. She withdrew from speaking because she was not strong enough emotionally, according to a person familiar with her decision. She remained at the event to support Harry.
Harry appeared visibly moved during his address. He challenged social media companies to stop showing minors content they would not display to their own offspring. He also pressed these firms to make it easier for parents to access their children's devices and accounts to understand their digital lives.
“For many parents, even though their child killed themselves, they’ve had to wait years, in some instances, eight years, to get access to their child’s phone,” Harry said. “Because of the company’s privacy policies, the parents were blocked from finding out how their child died. That cannot be right.”
The legal troubles for Thomas Markle Sr. emerged last month. The 82-year-old appeared in a Florida courtroom on Friday with charges of possessing child sexual abuse material. He has previously called the allegations sick lies.
