Prince Harry
Social media responsible for Capitol riot
Prince Harry blames social media for the Capitol rampage.
© Shutterstock.com / Shaun Jeffers
Prince Harry blames social media for an "avalanche of misinformation" and the attack on the US Capitol.
British Prince Harry (36) blames social media for the storming of the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., on January 6th. In the interview, which was published in Fast Company on Friday, he says social media platforms have helped spread "an avalanche of misinformation" and "a barrage of falsehoods" that keep people trapped in dark conspiracy theories and threaten democracy with violence and death.
This avalanche of misinformation "which we are all inundated with bends reality and has created this warped filter that affects our ability to think clearly or understand the world around us," Harry continued. “What happens online doesn't stay online – it's spreading like wildfire everywhere: in our homes and workplaces, on the streets, in our heads. The real question is what to do when the exchange of messages and information doesn't is more of a decent, truthful exchange, rather than an exchange of arms, "he says.
Social media companies should take responsibility
The attack on the Capitol, in which five people died, many were injured and the premises were devastated, was documented by the rioters themselves and posted online. According to Prince Harry, the fact that the riots were fueled online with the help of a seditious speech by former US President (2017-2021) Donald Trump (74) only underlined the dangers.
Social media companies should stand up and take responsibility, the Brit calls for. "There is no way to downplay this. There has been a literal attack on democracy in the United States organized through social media, which is a violent extremism problem."
"We will take up social media again"
Prince Harry has lived in the United States for almost a year with his wife (since 2018), the native American Duchess Meghan (39), and their son Archie (20 months). The couple founded the Archewell Foundation, whose endeavors include reforming tech platforms and researching their impact on people.
Prince Harry's concern about the dangers of social media has grown in recent years after he and Duchess Meghan found the coverage in the UK media to be racist. This was one of the reasons they cited a year ago when they announced they were stepping back from their royal duties and moving to America in search of more independence and privacy. But: "We'll take up social media again when it feels right for us," he says in the interview.