Meghan Markle says she was ‘bullied and attacked’ every day for 10 years | Royal | News
The Duchess of Sussex meets young advocates during her visit to Batyr, a mental health engagement program (Image: Jonathan Brady/PA)
The Duchess of Sussex said she was “bullied and attacked” on social media every day for 10 years and was the “most trolled person in the whole world”.
Speaking to a class of young people at mental health organization Batyr on the third day of her visit to Australia, Meghan said social media companies were “not encouraged to stop”.
“And I can really speak to that personally, so I love listening because it rings true for me in a very real way,” she said.
“I’ve been bullied and attacked every day for 10 years now. And I was the most trolled person in the world.”
Duchess of Sussex says she was ‘bullied and attacked’ online (Image: Jonathan Brady/PA)
Speaking at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, the duchess added: “I’m still here now.
“And when I think about all of you and what you’re going through, I think you have to realize that it’s largely because you know this industry, that billion-dollar industry that is completely based on cruelty and cruelty to get clicks, that’s not going to change.
“That’s why you have to be stronger than this.”
During the debate, Harry said Australia’s ban on under-16s using social media was “epic” “in terms of responsibility and leadership”.
He said: “Australia has taken the lead.
“Your government was the first country in the world to impose a ban.
“We can sit here now and debate the pros and cons of the ban; I’m not here to judge that.
“All I have to say in terms of responsibility and leadership is epic.”
The duke and duchess have long campaigned to raise awareness of the harms of social media (Image: Jonathan Brady/PA)
He added: “Because so many countries have now followed suit, it should never have been banned.”
The duke and duchess have long been campaigning to raise awareness about the harms of social media.
Harry said: “It should never, ever have come down to a ban. “And now that the ban is in place, what happens next?
“Because the companies themselves need to be held accountable, and there is no way they can punish young people by banning them from something that should be safe to use no matter what.”
Earlier on Thursday, the Duke and Duchess attended the Scar Tree Walk in Melbourne, which connects traditional and contemporary Aboriginal cultures and the histories of the peoples of the Kulin nation.
Joggers and cyclists were stunned to see the duke and duchess stroll along one of the city’s most popular running routes along the Yarra River.
