The Duchess of Sussex has made an emotional plea to global health leaders, urging them to do more to protect children online during a solo trip to Geneva. Speaking at the Lost Screen Memorial, an installation dedicated to children who died from digital harm, Meghan described online safety as a “public health issue”. She was joined by World Health Organisation (WHO) director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Addressing health ministers, officials and families affected by online harm, Meghan said: “Children today are being shaped by systems designed to capture attention at any cost: relentless algorithms, exploitative engagement, and endless exposure to harmful content that they are not seeking out.” The memorial featured 50 illuminated lightboxes displaying the mobile phone lockscreen images of children who lost their lives because of online violence and digital harm.
Referencing the display, the duchess, dressed in a black Giorgio Armani suit, said: “Each name belonged to a child who was loved beyond measure... Now their faces ask the world questions we can no longer avoid.” She added: “For too long, we have accepted a dangerous bargain: that modern connection must come at the cost of the innocence of childhood.”
Meghan warned that new technologies, including AI, are “accelerating and amplifying” past mistakes, making danger travel globally. She called for children to be “safe by design, not safe by chance”, urging attendees to “demand better from the platforms shaping our children’s lives”. Among those listening was Amy Neville, whose 14-year-old son Alexander is featured in the memorial. Meghan praised her voice as a reminder of what is at stake.
The event, hosted by the WHO and Archewell Philanthropies ahead of the 79th World Health Assembly, also involved The Parents’ Network. Both Prince Harry and Meghan have long advocated for stronger online protections for children, having unveiled a similar memorial in New York last year.
