Harry and Meghan's support for UK social media ban draws fierce reaction on social media

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have publicly praised the UK government's decision to ban under-16s from social media, while calling for stronger action to protect children online — a statement that has drawn both support and fierce criticism from the public.

Sussex duo welcome UK social media ban

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle welcomed the UK government's move to restrict social media access for under-16s, saying the measure was a step in the right direction. The couple argued, however, that more needed to be done to safeguard children's online safety, and stated that the burden of protection "cannot rest solely on parents and children" but "must also be borne by the companies."

Public backlash erupts online

The remarks quickly drew a strong reaction on social media, with many users accusing the couple of hypocrisy and taking issue with the suggestion that tech companies should shoulder parental responsibility.

One user wrote on X: "This annoys me to NO end. They say in this condescending statement that 'the burden cannot rest solely on parents and children. It must also be borne by the companies. Bulls***. Why isn't it the parents' responsibility to parent and monitor their children's online activity?" The same user added: "Why is parenting being farmed out to social media companies? When my kids were young I set the rules and limits on their social media use."

'Watch your kids'

Other critics were equally pointed in their responses. One wrote: "Social media is not a right, it's a privilege, and my kids weren't ALLOWED to have social media until a certain age. It's such a neglect of parental responsibility to pawn it all off on Meta. Watch your kids, know how they're interacting and behaving when they don't think you're watching." Another user offered a blunter assessment, writing simply: "The hypocrisy of these laughingstocks…"