NEW DELHI: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has revealed that she endured “cruel” online harassment, particularly during her pregnancies. She shared her experiences while speaking at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, expressing that she maintains a distance from social media for her wellbeing, a CNN report said.
The Duchess explained that she faced the majority of this harassment while pregnant with her children, Archie and Lili, and after their births. She emphasized the severity of the harassment, describing it as cruel rather than merely catty.
Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, her first child with Prince Harry, was born on May 6, 2019. The couple then welcomed Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor on June 4, 2021.
In response to ongoing online abuse, the British royal family requested that social media users engage with their posts with “courtesy, kindness, and respect.” This was part of broader efforts, including asking social media companies to combat the rise in abuse, which often took sexist and racist forms.
The palace increased efforts to filter and remove abusive comments and block harmful accounts. The palace staff is now devoting more resources towards moderating online platforms. This includes filtering out abusive comments, deleting messages that violate their guidelines, and blocking users who perpetuate abuse.
Meghan stressed the need for humanity in digital spaces and the media, criticizing the profit-driven nature of these platforms despite their detrimental social impact.
Meghan and Harry moved to California in 2020 after stepping back from the British royal family. They have openly criticized media intrusion into their lives both in the UK and the US, even filing a lawsuit in California over unauthorized photographs of Archie.
(With inputs from agencies)
The Duchess explained that she faced the majority of this harassment while pregnant with her children, Archie and Lili, and after their births. She emphasized the severity of the harassment, describing it as cruel rather than merely catty.
Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, her first child with Prince Harry, was born on May 6, 2019. The couple then welcomed Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor on June 4, 2021.
In response to ongoing online abuse, the British royal family requested that social media users engage with their posts with “courtesy, kindness, and respect.” This was part of broader efforts, including asking social media companies to combat the rise in abuse, which often took sexist and racist forms.
The palace increased efforts to filter and remove abusive comments and block harmful accounts. The palace staff is now devoting more resources towards moderating online platforms. This includes filtering out abusive comments, deleting messages that violate their guidelines, and blocking users who perpetuate abuse.
Meghan stressed the need for humanity in digital spaces and the media, criticizing the profit-driven nature of these platforms despite their detrimental social impact.
Meghan and Harry moved to California in 2020 after stepping back from the British royal family. They have openly criticized media intrusion into their lives both in the UK and the US, even filing a lawsuit in California over unauthorized photographs of Archie.
(With inputs from agencies)