Meghan Markle Prince Harry issue statement about major new partnership | Royal | News
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are expanding efforts around children’s online safety, as detailed in a new statement. The Parents Network of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s philanthropic Archewell Foundation is collaborating with ParentsTogether, a national nonprofit organization focused on advocating for families and online safety.
The news comes as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were honored last night with the Humanitarian of the Year Award at Project Healthy Minds’ World Mental Health Day Gala on October 9 in New York. Speaking at the awards ceremony last night, Prince Harry warned of an “explosion of unregulated AI”. He added: “As our network has grown, we have seen the full scope of the situation we are facing.
“We have witnessed the explosion of unregulated AI, heard more and more stories from heartbroken families, and watched parents around the world become increasingly concerned about their children’s digital lives.”
The Duke of Sussex added: “When we learned that thousands of families from all corners of society were facing the same challenges, many learning for the first time that it was actually social media that was taking their children, we knew this movement had to grow.”
As reported by People MagazineThe groups are joining forces as new research shows there is an urgent need for more parental support and more legislation to protect children from AI-related harm in a rapidly changing landscape, with chatbots becoming increasingly popular.
Researchers posing as children on AI chatbot platforms encounter harmful interactions every five minutes, according to the latest research from ParentsTogether.
The Parents Network started in 2022 in the United States as a community of families who lost their children to social media-related suicide or whose children were left in a difficult situation due to online platforms.
James Holt and Shauna Nep, co-executive directors of the Archewell Foundation, said in a statement about the announcement: “When we launched the Parent Network, we were among the few voices calling attention to the disruptive impact of social media and emerging technologies on young people. Today, the landscape has changed dramatically.”
“Legislation is being introduced across the country, more families are coming forward with their stories, and the urgency of this moment is undeniable,” they continued.
“This connection with ParentsTogether ensures our community has the infrastructure, advocacy and resources needed to meet this critical moment in protecting our children.”
