Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Speak Out Against Meta's 'Deeply Deceptive' Move to End Fact-Checking

Mar. 15, 2025

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Meghan MarkleandPrince Harryare denouncing Meta’s decision to end fact-checking across Facebook and Instagram.

On Jan. 13, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shared the opinion in a new statement on the website of their charitable Archewell Foundation. Prince Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43, have made building a safer online world a key focus of their philanthropic work, and launchedThe Parents Networkas a principal program from Archewell last year as a resource for families who have suffered devastation from the harmful effects of social media.

“It doesn’t matter whether your views are left, right or somewhere in between—the latest news from Meta about changes to their policies directly undermines free speech. This should deeply concern us all,” began astatementtitled “Fact-checking Media” on the Archewell website. “Contrary to the company’s talking points, allowing more abuse and normalizing hate speech serves to silence speech and expression, not foster it.”

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in Bogota, Colombia on Aug. 15, 2024.Eric Charbonneau/Archewell Foundation via Getty

Eric Charbonneau/Archewell Foundation via Getty

“In an already confusing and, in many instances, intentionally disruptive information environment, Meta has shown their words and commitments have very little meaning or integrity. As they announce these changes undoubtedly responding to political winds, they once again abandon public safety in favor of profit, chaos, and control,” it continued in an apparent reference to the upcoming inauguration of president-electDonald Trumpon Jan. 20.

“The company’s decision to rollback protections is so far away from its stated values and commitments to its users—including the parents and families calling for change around the globe—that it’s now deeply deceptive,” the statement said.

The extensive entry emphasized the staggering number of global users active on Meta’s platforms, which also include Threads and WhatsApp, and said Meta’s “recent decision” contradicts its mission to build connection and “instead prioritize those using the platforms to spread hate, lies and division at the expense of everyone else.”

“Given the profound global impact Meta’s decisions have on the world—of which many are still recovering from or actively suffering from—the politics of one country should never determine whether freedom of expression and civil and human rights are protected in the online spaces so clearly shaping or destroying democracy,” the statement from Prince Harry and Meghan’s office argued.

The entry also decried Meta’s purported plans to reduce its DEI programs, whichAxiosfirst reported and theBBCconfirmed on Jan. 10. That update followed Meta CEOMark Zuckerberg’s Jan. 7 announcement that Meta would be moving away from its third-party fact-checking programs.

The entry later urged Meta “to reconsider and reinstate policies to protect all users,” and urged leaders across sectors to honor their commitments to safer online spaces. Prince Harry and Meghan’s office also underscored its support for groups including The Center for Critical Internet Inquiry, Parents Together, 5Rights Foundation, Accountable Tech, HalfTheStory,The Marcy Lab School, and theResponsible Tech Youth Power Fundin their strides for advocating for accountability online, plus a new partnership with Screen Sanity, a nonprofit that supports families of children in the digital age.

“We at The Archewell Foundation remain committed to promoting accountability, safeguarding information integrity, and protecting all communities in the digital age. We hope and expect those enabling Meta’s profits, like advertisers and shareholders, to do the same.”

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Prince Harry speaks onstage at The New York Times Dealbook Summit in New York City on Dec. 4, 2024.Eugene Gologursky/Getty

Eugene Gologursky/Getty

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are parents toPrince Archie, 5 andPrincess Lilibet, 3, making the mission of safeguarding the next generation online a personal one.

source: people.com