The Duchess of Sussex meets young advocates during a visit to Batyr, a mental health engagement programme (Image: Jonathan Brady/PA)
The Duchess of Sussex has said she was “bullied and attacked” every day for 10 years on social media and was “the most trolled person in the entire world”.
Speaking to a classroom of young people involved with the mental health organisation Batyr on the third day of her Australian visit, Meghan said social media companies were “not incentivised to stop”.
“And I can speak to that really personally, which is why I like to listen, because it rings true for me in a very real way,” she said.
“For now, 10 years, every day for 10 years, I have been bullied and attacked. And I was the most trolled person in the entire world.”
The Duchess of Sussex said she was ‘bullied and attacked’ online (Image: Jonathan Brady/PA)
Speaking at Melbourne’s Swinburne University of Technology, the duchess added: “Now, I’m still here.
“And when I think of all of you and what you’re experiencing, I think so much of that is having to realise that you know that industry, that billion-dollar industry, that is completely anchored and predicated on cruelty to get clicks – that’s not going to change.
“So you have to be stronger than that.”
During the discussion, Harry said Australia’s ban on under-16s using social media was “epic” from a “responsibility and leadership standpoint”.
He said: “Australia took the lead.
“Your government was the first country in the world to bring about a ban.
“Now we can sit here and debate the pros and cons of a ban – I’m not here to judge that.
“All I will say is from a responsibility and leadership standpoint – epic.”
The duke and duchess have long campaigned to raise awareness about the harms of social media (Image: Jonathan Brady/PA)
He added: “Because so many countries have now followed suit, but it should have never got to a ban.”
The duke and duchess have long campaigned to raise awareness about the harms of social media.
Harry said: “It should have never, ever got to a ban. And now that the ban is in place, now what follows?
“Because the companies themselves have to be accountable, and there’s no way that young people should be punished by being banned from something that should be safe to use, no matter what.”
Earlier on Thursday, the duke and duchess took part in Melbourne’s Scar Tree Walk, which connects traditional and contemporary Aboriginal cultures and the histories of the peoples of the Kulin nation.
Joggers and cyclists looked stunned to see the duke and duchess strolling through one of the city’s most popular running routes along the banks of the Yarra River.