The Duke of Sussex told the European Parliament that platforms should carry the burden of child safety, as lawmakers weigh a ban on social media accounts for children under 13.
Tamrah News Desk | November 10, 2026
The Prince Harry EU Kids Act speech in Brussels on Tuesday put one question at the centre of the online safety debate: who should keep children safe on social media? The Duke of Sussex backed a proposal that would move that duty from parents to social media companies, according to Euronews.
Euronews reported that Prince Harry spoke at a European Parliament event organised by the Intergroup on Children’s Rights. He accused social media companies of failing to improve online safety on their platforms and said,
“These companies have caused so much harm, there has to be accountability.”
What Prince Harry Said at the European Parliament
PA reporting carried by RTE said Harry gave a solo keynote address and told lawmakers that children
“deserve to feel safe wherever they are.”
RTE reported that he described himself as speaking as a father rather than an expert or politician, said he was not asking for a world without technology, and wanted harm prevented before tragedy forced change. Euronews said he praised the EU Kids Act, a European Commission proposal, for shifting the burden of responsibility from parents to social media companies.
What Does the EU Kids Act Propose for Children Under 13?
The European Commission adopted the proposal on 17 September 2026, according to a legal briefing published by The Lawyer. The text covers access to social media, safety by design, age verification, parental controls and enforcement.
Children under 13 would be barred from holding accounts on social media and video sharing platforms, according to law firm Davis Wright Tremaine. The Record reported that children between 13 and 15 could only reach platforms through accounts created by their guardians, and that 15 would become the minimum age for creating an account across the bloc.
Davis Wright Tremaine said the proposal rejects self declared ages and requires certified age verification when accounts are opened. The same firm said safety by design rules would ban addictive features for minors, including autoplay, infinite scroll and push notifications. The Record added that the restrictions reach online games, video sharing services and AI chatbots for users under 18.
How Would the EU Kids Act Be Enforced?
According to The Record, very large providers would have to submit a compliance plan to the European Commission and an outside auditor. The Commission said it would speed up investigations into suspected breaches and aim to finish them within 90 days.
Why Social Media Companies Face Pressure on Online Safety
Anadolu Agency reported that Commissioner Micallef said responsibility for child safety must be shared among parents, educators, policymakers and the companies running online services. He said social media companies must make sure their spaces are safe for minors. Cybernews reported that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has argued that tech companies, not parents and children, should carry responsibility for harm from algorithms.
Lost Screen Memorial and Meghan Markle’s Appearance
Euronews said Harry and Meghan Markle unveiled the Lost Screen Memorial at the Parliament. The display first launched in New York last year and shows photographs of young people whose deaths were linked to online harms. New Vision reported before the event that the installation includes 50 enlarged images taken from parents’ lock screens. Euronews said Sandra Spitaels, whose 15 year old son Glenn took his own life after a nude image of him was shared online, joined the event, which European Parliament President Roberta Metsola attended.
Euronews reported that Meghan made her first public appearance since her estranged father was arrested in the US on suspicion of possessing child sexual abuse material. She joined private meetings with MEPs but did not give a planned speech. RTE said she stepped back from speaking because she was not emotionally strong enough.
Will the EU Kids Act Become Law?
Not yet. The Lawyer reported that the proposal now moves to the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. Informat said MEPs debated the proposal, presented by the European Commission on 17 September, in plenary for the first time on 6 October and produced no new resolution. Age verification without excessive data collection, the role of parents and the duty of platforms to prove their services are safe dominated the discussion.
The UK is taking a separate route on online safety. Lewis Silkin said the UK government plans to ban social media for under 16s, with implementation expected from spring 2027, while the EU proposal bars access for under 13s. Mondaq reported that legislation implementing the UK ban has not yet been introduced.
Conclusion
The Prince Harry EU Kids Act speech has drawn fresh attention to the EU Kids Act, a social media ban for children under 13, age verification, safety by design duties, the Lost Screen Memorial and online safety for children at the European Parliament. Readers can follow further Meghan Responds to Thomas Markle Allegations as Philippine Authorities Open Investigation on Tamrah News.
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