Harry and Meghan to host talks on building a 'compassionate digital world'

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will host a series of talks on creating a better world in partnership with TIME magazine, it has been announced.

The couple, who now live in California after stepping back from their roles as senior royals, will speak to “experts, advocates, creators and journalists” to talk about how to build a more “compassionate digital world”.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will make opening and closing remarks and lead conversations during the session, and will focus on how online communities can be safer and more trustworthy.

The online world has been a recurrent topic and project for the royal couple, with Meghan revealing earlier this week she was staying off social media after the trolling she experienced during 2019.

During an interview with Fortune, she said: “I have made a personal choice to not have any accounts so I don’t know what’s out there and in many ways that’s helpful for me.

“I have a lot of concerns for people that have become obsessed with it and it is so much a part of our daily culture for so many people that it’s an addiction.

“Like many others, and you know, there are very few things in this world where you call the person who’s engaging with it a user.

“People who are addicted to drugs are called users and people who are on social media are called users and there is something algorithmically that is in there that is creating this obsession and I think it’s very unhealthy for a lot of people.”

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The TIME100 talks, which will air on 20 October, will include Meghan’s friend Alexis Ohanian, who is the co-founder of Reddit, and married to her longterm friend Serena Williams.

Also on the list for their chat are Centre for Humane Technology president and co-founder Tristan Harris, who the couple previously referenced during a call with the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, disinformation researcher Renée DiResta, and the hosts of podcast Teenager Therapy, who interviewed the couple about trolling.

TIME editor in chief and CEO Edward Felsenthal said: “Since launching in April, TIME100 Talks has focused on solutions and visions of a better future through conversations with extraordinary leaders from around the world.

“This special episode marks our first collaboration, and we are thrilled to partner with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex to explore these urgent issues.”

Dan Macsai, TIME executive editor and editorial director of the TIME100 added: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, both TIME100 alumni, are among the most influential voices in the world.

“We look forward to working with them to elevate essential voices and highlight real solutions to some of the most pressing issues of our time.”

The talks will begin at 6pm BST (1pm ET) on 20 October. To register to watch go to time.com/time100-talks.