Harry & Meghan Lead Time 100 Talk 'Engineering A Better Digital World'

Today, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex led the Time 100 talks special 'Engineering a Better Digital World'. The insightful and enlightening curated episode saw the couple sharing their views on a plethora of issues surrounding the online sphere and engaging in several interesting conversations with advocates, experts and creators. Spanning almost two hours, I highly recommend sitting down and taking in the stories, points of view, and Harry and Meghan's passionate words on their efforts moving forward.

As the episode opened in conversation with Time CEO Edward Felsenthal, Harry and Meghan revealed they are grateful to be able to spend so much time together as a family due to restrictions amid the pandemic. Meghan said: "We're just trying to embrace all of the quality time we get with our son right now and not miss a single moment of his growth and development." Speaking about the present climate, Harry noted it's never been more important to really ask someone how they are. "Before this everyone was satisfied with 'yeah, I'm good', but this year it's a case of 'no, how are you really?' In answer to that, we're good."

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex on how they prioritize advocacy work on online platforms #TIME100Talks pic.twitter.com/3jg2Mi76vz

— TIME (@TIME) October 20, 2020

Harry spoke of his deep concerns regarding the online world. "What is happening in the online world is affecting the world. It is not restricted to certain platforms or certain social media conversations or groups. This is a global crisis, a global crisis of hate, a global crisis of misinformation, and a global health crisis." Meghan spoke of her and Harry's work even before they met leading them to the realisation this is an area they want to focus on. "It was only in the past couple of years we both started to connect the dots…all the work I was doing on women's empowerment or young girls and their sense of self worth, and seeing what the online spaces were doing to that community." Harry added the snowballing of misinformation is particularly concerning. He also praised Time for "moving the needle" and offering an outlet in which people can trust to offer truth.

During a conversation with Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian (a friend of the couple's and the husband of Meghan's dear friend Serena Williams), Meghan said, "It feels very official, different from our normal chats. I’m glad that you’re here and what we’re talking about today is obviously so important and something that you are so knowledgeable in obviously, as a founder with Reddit."

In a conversation with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, @alexisohanian discusses how online communities can breed hate groups #TIME100Talks https://t.co/hYtY83oJHr pic.twitter.com/l9tAsxvKs3

— TIME (@TIME) October 20, 2020

"But I think, if you don’t mind, we can jump right into it because it made a lot of news and garnered attention when you decided to step back from your board seat at Reddit and instead to ask if they give that seat to a person of color and specifically someone who is black. And I think you know that resonated with people in a huge way, especially because you said you were doing it because you were inspired by your daughter Olympia. Can you tell us a little bit about the thinking behind that and what it’s been since you made that choice?"

More on the conversation from Time:

Alexis - 'We’re seeing more and more studies that show just how healthy that is for boardroom conversations all the way down to the most junior employees to have those diversities of thought and experience. And frankly this is long overdue.

And I’ve been heartened when I have seen other people in similar positions who have stepped down to create opportunities for people of color. I still, you know I don’t have to look too hard to see there’s a lot more work to be done. And you know I’m happy to sign myself up for that, because I owe it to – I owe it to a lot of people and I’m ready for the challenge.

Meghan: 'Well you know one of the things that you had said actually on the heels of a piece that my husband had written for Fast Company, you wrote leaders lead. And I think that’s what you’re doing. Just let me thank you for saying that about the work that he’s doing is something obviously we’re both really passionate about.

But that’s what you’re doing, you are leading by example. And I think, you know, I’m sorry to hear that you’re still receiving hate mail. I know we have shared experiences in being in interracial marriages and you know raising small children who are of mixed race and how that plays into that.

But I think you know to touch on what you were saying earlier, what do you think that we’re losing in a broader sense when we don’t have that level of representation, not just in the companies themselves but in what the content is and how it’s being shared. I mean you touched on it there about the diversity not just of color but the diversity of thought, all of that is so key.'

Prince Harry led a conversation discussing journalism and the age of online disinformation with Rappler CEO Maria Ressa and Renee Di Resta. Harry praised Maria for her work as an advocate for freedom of the press, which he described as "absolutely critical and vital to everyone all over the world". Renee told Harry, "Every American going into elections, you can’t just think voting is enough. You’re going to have to sit and ask yourself the same question I ask myself, which is: what will you sacrifice for the truth?"

Rappler CEO and Executive Editor @mariaressa discusses journalism during the age of online disinformation in a conversation with Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Renee DiResta (@noUpside), Stanford Internet Observatory Technical Research Manager #TIME100Talks pic.twitter.com/KVF9Yxz8xU

— TIME (@TIME) October 20, 2020

I really enjoyed hearing the amazing foursome from Teenager Therapy share their thoughts on creating safe online spaces. Their conversation with Harry and Meghan has introduced their podcast to a new audience globally, and I love that they were asked to participate in this. The cruel and insidious side of social media is particularly effecting teenagers and young people, and it's so important to have voices from that generation to discuss issues facing them and their peers.

At a #TIME100Talks, the hosts of "Teenager Therapy" talk about creating safe spaces online pic.twitter.com/PATEMvur2l

— TIME (@TIME) October 20, 2020

More from Time:

'Anyone who has watched The Social Dilemma already knows that technology has fundamentally warped the way we see the world. But Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have become invested in holding technology companies accountable for the misinformation spread on platforms like Facebook. For a special TIME100 Talks hosted by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the couple sat down with two experts Tristan Harris, a Silicon Valley veteran who co-founded the Center of Humane Technology and appeared in The Social Dilemma, and Safiya Noble, author of Algorithms of Oppression.

During the discussion, Noble touched on Meghan’s own experience being the target of online hate. Noble explained that if you are part of a community “targeted with hate, disinformation, calls for genocide, calls for racist violence against you, misogyny, as Meghan I know you know so profoundly, the technologies are able to…amplify those kinds of messages and those kinds of harms,” says Noble. “The harms don’t just live in the platform. They often extend to shaping behaviors that people also act upon.”

Harris added that technology companies’ profit imperative thrives on disinformation, controversial opinions or fake news. “They are competing to seduce us with that promise of virality,” he says, citing the hashtags that promise billions of views on a single TikTok video. “But of course that doesn’t reward what’s true, what’s credible, or what is really good for society.”

The Duchess wore a black suit with a white top for the discussion. 

Meghan's jacket looks very much like her Alexander McQueen Grain de poudre wool blazer which she first wore for the Endeavour Fund Awards in 2018.

Click to hear the talk in its entirety. I hope we see many more from the couple! The discussion was an exciting indicator of plans ahead for Archewell. The fact they are consulting so many experts speaks to their plans for the non-profit in creating a better digital world for all.