The Duchess of Sussex’s Candid Reflections on Social Media
The Duchess of Sussex has shared deeply personal insights about her experiences with online harassment, revealing that she was “bullied and attacked” daily for a decade. She described herself as “the most trolled person in the entire world.” These remarks were made during a discussion with young people from the Australian mental health organisation Batyr at Melbourne’s Swinburne University of Technology on Thursday.
Her husband, the Duke of Sussex, echoed her sentiments, stating that social media had “led to so much loneliness for so many people.” He also spoke about the importance of therapy, sharing his own journey. “I waited until I was literally in the fetal position, much older, lying on the kitchen floor,” he said. “Until I was like, OK, maybe this therapy thing – maybe I should try it.”
A Call for Change in Social Media Practices
During the group discussion, the Duchess highlighted the lack of incentives for social media companies to address harmful content. “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.”
She 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.”
The Duke of Sussex on Australia’s Social Media Ban
Speaking in a classroom on the third day of her Australian visit, the Duchess emphasized the need for accountability within the social media industry. Meanwhile, the Duke of Sussex praised Australia’s decision to ban under-16s from using social media. “Australia took the lead,” he said. “Your government was the first country in the world to bring about a ban.”
He continued, “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.” He also noted that many countries have since followed Australia’s example but added, “It should have never got to a ban.”
Addressing the Broader Impacts of Social Media
The Duke of Sussex also discussed the broader implications of social media bans, stating, “Because so many countries have now followed suit, but it should have never got to a ban.” He emphasized that social media companies must take responsibility for creating safe environments for users. “There’s no way that young people should be punished by being banned from something that should be safe to use, no matter what.”
In addition to discussing social media, the Duke shared his personal experiences with mental health, noting, “I’m not a city person, my mental health could not stand living in a city – no way.” This conversation highlighted the importance of regional differences in mental health support.
About Batyr: Supporting Youth Mental Health
Batyr is a preventative youth mental health organisation that delivers peer-to-peer programmes in schools, universities, and workplaces. It uses lived experience storytelling to spark conversations around mental health. The organisation is hosting a two-day workshop in Melbourne to address the challenges faced by rural and remote young people, who are often “left behind by a crisis-driven mental health system.”
Founded in 2011 by Sebastian Robertson, Batyr aims to normalise conversations about mental health and provide hope to young people facing tough times. The name of the organisation is inspired by an elephant in a Kazakhstan zoo that was claimed to be able to use more than 20 human phrases. Batyr works to address a “youth mental health crisis in Australia.”
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