Meghan and Harry Applaud US Court Ruling Against Social Media Giants
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have publicly welcomed what they describe as a "reckoning" for social media companies following a significant United States court ruling. In a statement issued on Thursday, the couple expressed solidarity with families affected by the platforms' operations, emphasising their long-standing advocacy for child safety online.
Landmark Legal Decision in Los Angeles
In a potentially precedent-setting verdict delivered on Wednesday in Los Angeles, a jury found technology behemoths Meta and Google liable for a young woman's childhood social media addiction. The ruling determined that Google, which owns YouTube, and Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, deliberately constructed platforms to ensnare young users without adequate consideration for their mental well-being.
The lawsuit was initiated after a plaintiff argued that her childhood addiction to social media had severely exacerbated existing mental health issues. This legal outcome could profoundly influence thousands of similar pending cases across the United States, all alleging that social media firms have caused substantial harm to young people.
Sussex Statement: A Call for Change
In their official response, Meghan and Harry declared: "This verdict is a reckoning. For too long, families have paid the price for platforms built with total disregard for the children they reach. We stand with every parent and young person who refused to be silenced. Today, the truth has been heard and precedent has been set. Let this be the change – where our children's safety is finally prioritised above profit."
The jury recommended that the twenty-year-old plaintiff receive six million dollars in damages, equivalent to approximately four point four million pounds. Both Meta and Google have firmly disagreed with the verdict, confirming their intentions to appeal the decision through the appropriate legal channels.
Broader Context and Industry Reactions
Prior to the announcement of the verdict, a spokesperson for the Sussexes indicated that the trial itself had already served as a "turning point" for major technology corporations. The spokesperson elaborated: "It has forced some of the most powerful companies on earth to reveal what's behind the curtain and to answer, in public and on the record, for choices that shaped an entire generation's daily life."
Meta responded by asserting that "teen mental health is profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app," while Google contended that the verdict fundamentally misunderstood YouTube, describing it as "a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media site."
Additional defendants in the lawsuit included Snapchat and TikTok; however, both companies reached settlements before the trial commenced. Notably, this California decision followed closely on the heels of another ruling in New Mexico, where a jury found Meta liable under state consumer protection laws for misleading the public about platform safety and failing to protect children adequately.
Historical Advocacy by the Sussexes
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have consistently campaigned to raise awareness about the detrimental effects of social media. In a podcast interview last October, Prince Harry criticised the "lawlessness" prevalent within the digital industry. Furthermore, in 2025, the couple called for stronger online protections for children after unveiling a memorial in New York City dedicated to young individuals who lost their lives due to the harmful impacts of social media.
Their charitable organisation, the Archewell Foundation, previously launched the Parents' Network initiative, designed as a comprehensive support system for parents navigating the challenges of online harm affecting their children. Speaking at a Project Healthy Minds event in New York City in October, Harry argued that the digital realm has "fundamentally changed how we experience reality."
He elaborated: "Young people are exposed to relentless comparison, harassment, misinformation and an attention economy designed to keep us scrolling at the expense of sleep and real human contact." This perspective underscores the couple's deep commitment to fostering a safer digital environment for future generations.
