Prince William has delivered the most passionate and moving speech in honour of Anti-Bullying Week. The dad-of-three appeared at the BBC to speak about the harrowing topic.
William reflected on the early days of social media, the better days: “When social media first became a standard part of daily life, there was so much justifiable reason for optimism.”
“The apps we use to make new friends, can also allow bullies to follow their targets even after they have left the classroom or the playing field.” – The Duke of Cambridge #AntiBullyingWeek pic.twitter.com/h67fhKxlyT
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) November 15, 2018
He reflected: “The fun we had at parties, the victories we celebrated on the football pitch, the cake we ate at our child’s birthday – all of it was captured, posted and shared with our friends, making us feel closer to each other even when we were apart.”
William admitted he wanted to work with Cyberbullying Taskforce for the sake of his children and his peers’ children.
“I was a new parent. And I saw that my friends and peers were worried about the risks of the very powerful tools we were putting in our children’s hands. For too many families, phones and social media shattered the sanctity and protection of the home.”
“As we 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?” he asked.
The dad-of-three added that meeting family who lost children to suicide pushed him to put an end to cyber-bullying. “I met families who had suffered the ultimate loss. For too many, social media and messaging were supercharging the age-old problem of bullying, leaving some children to take their own lives when they felt it was inescapable.”
“I felt that I might be able to make a difference on this issue,” he said. William expressed his hopes for the people behind social media platforms to make them a safer place, especially for children.
William expressed his hopes for the people behind social media platforms to make them a safer place, especially for children. “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.”
“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,” he stressed.
Feature Image: Instagram
