Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have issued a joint statement on Meta's landmark child-safety settlement just hours after touching down in the UK to begin the next chapter of their lives in Britain.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, along with their children Archie, seven, and five-year-old Lilibet, arrived at Birmingham Airport at lunchtime on Wednesday, one week after their move back to Harry's home country was announced.
Statement on Meta settlement
In their first public notice since landing, the couple expressed disappointment that Meta will avoid trial accountability by agreeing to a settlement sum. The social media company agreed to pay up to $18 billion (£13.3 billion) to settle claims that its platforms pose a danger to children.
The statement read: "The historic trial against Meta over claims that its products endanger children has resulted in a settlement in which they will pay up to $17.1 billion. The settlement requires Meta to pay financial penalties for violating federal child privacy and states’ consumer protection laws.
"By choosing to settle, the company paid to avoid yet another trial outcome that would force it into accountability. Because of the data-extraction business model Meta has used on our children and all users for years, it has more than the means to pay this settlement. Reports estimate Meta will make the equivalent of the $17 billion pay out back in profit in the next 30 days."
Changes agreed by Meta
Harry and Meghan outlined some changes Meta agreed to as part of the settlement, including restricting usage for children between 12am and 6am, which they said "quickly sparks change from other tech leaders across the industry". Other changes include not allowing notifications during school hours, the removal of beauty filters deemed harmful to mental health, and the introduction of an optional chronological feed to replace algorithm-driven content recommendations.
The Duke and Duchess continued: "This result clearly signals that Meta and social media companies understand they are up against an immovable force of parents, survivors, and advocates who will not back down until we see change in how our young people interact with online spaces. It is a positive step for everyone advocating for safer online spaces and at the same time – far from the end of the journey to a better online world."
Longstanding campaign for online safety
Harry and Meghan are fierce campaigners for tougher regulations when it comes to children using social media. In June, they weighed in on the UK government's decision to ban certain social media for children under 16, calling it "a welcome step forward" but adding more needed to be done to keep children away from harmful material. They warned that "while measures such as these help reduce harm, they do not fix the problem at its source".
In May, Meghan urged global health leaders to act to keep children safe online at the opening of the Lost Screen Memorial in Geneva, Switzerland. Speaking at the memorial for people who have died after suffering digital harm, the duchess described children's online safety as a "public health issue". At the World Mental Health Day Festival in New York in October, Meghan said she and her husband often discussed how they would protect their own children from online dangers as they grow older.
On Wednesday afternoon, the family arrived in the UK on a private jet. They were not met by taxpayer-funded close police protection or a police convoy - something they previously had when working royals - and were supported by their own private security team. They are to settle in the UK for an "extended period", with the children enrolled in British schools ready to start in September.
