Prince William Just Gave His Boldest Speech Ever — on Behalf of George, Charlotte and Louis
Prince William just delivered arguably his hardest-hitting speech ever, calling on technology companies to do more to innovate and clamp down on the abuses that persist on their platforms.
In a major address during anti-bullying week in the U.K. on Thursday, he spoke about trolling in cyberspace, the rise in fake news and the difficulties young people face when seeing idealized lives portrayed on social media.
He told the gathered crowd at the BBC in London that tech companies should “reject the false choice of profits over values.”
“You have powered amazing movements of social change. Surely together you can harness innovation to allow us to fight back against the intolerance and cruelty that has been brought to the surface by your platforms.”
He added, “And you have brought families together in ways that were previously unimaginable. Surely you can partner with parents to make the online world a safe place of discovery, friendship and education for their children.”
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“You can reject the false choice of profits over values. You can choose to do good and be successful.
“You can work in the interest of the children and parents who use your products and still make your shareholders happy. We not only want you to succeed. We need you to.”
The prince said the companies — some of the biggest in the world — “are so proud of what they have built that they cannot hear the growing concern from their users.”
“And increasingly they seemed resigned to a posture with governments and regulators that will be defined by conflict and discord. It does not have to be this way.”
William set up a Cyberbullying task force to tackle the bullying issues online — mainly because since becoming a parent to Prince George, Princess Charlotte and now Prince Louis, he worries about the effects on them and their peers.
He and wife Kate Middleton — who joined him at the event at the BBC — “grappled with this, we felt a distinct absence of guidance. Should we read our children’s messages?”
“Should we allow them to have phones and tablets in their rooms? Who do we report bullying to?”
“We were making up the rules as we went along.”
“And when I worked as an Air Ambulance pilot or traveled around the country campaigning on mental health, I met families who had suffered the ultimate loss. For too many, social media and messaging was supercharging the age-old problem of bullying, leaving some children to take their own lives when they felt it was unescapable.”
William said that he recognizes how internet companies and social media platforms — some starting in humble college dorms — have brought people closer.
“The men and women who invented and developed social media platforms are justifiably proud of the difference they have made in the world,” William said.
“They have achieved extraordinary things and created connections across borders, generations and cultural divides that were unimaginable at the turn of the century.”
“I believe we are stronger when we are connected and more successful when we can understand each other’s experiences.”
“We all have to acknowledge, though, that much of the early optimism and hope of social media is giving way to very real concern, and even fear about its impact on our lives.
“We have seen that the technology that can allow you to develop an online community around a shared hobby or interest can also be used to organize violence.
“The platform that can allow you to celebrate diversity can also be used to cocoon yourself in a cultural and political echo chamber.”
William, who launched the action plan in November 2017, has been accessing the current digital landscape over the past year — and the findings have him concerned.
“I am worried though that our technology companies still have a great deal to learn about the responsibilities that come with their significant power.”
“I say this not in anger. Again, I believe that our tech leaders are people of integrity who are bringing many benefits to our lives and societies.”
“I am very concerned though that on every challenge they face – fake news, extremism, polarization, hate speech, trolling, mental health, privacy, and bullying – our tech leaders seem to be on the back foot.”
