Harry and Meghan partner M&C Saatchi on social media harms campaign

The Archewell Foundation, Prince Harry's and Meghan Markle's non-profit philanthropic organisation has launched The Parents’ Network with a campaign by M&C Saatchi. 

"No child lost to social media" includes a three-minute film directed by Diana Markosian through The Corner Shop, in which parents discuss the negative impact of social media on their children. Guy Bradbury was executive creative director on the campaign and Sara Mullane and Hannah Liddle were the copywriters.

The film, set in places where the children used to spend their time, shares stories of both survival and loss, ending with the message: “No child lost to social media". The campaign will run across broadcast and digital channels globally.

The Gill family, whose daughter took her own life, is among those taking part in the campaign.

The Parents' Network, available to parents in the US, UK, and Canada, provides resources and support for parents whose children have been affected by social media harm. 

The campaign advocates for social media platforms to prioritise safety in their design, citing increased rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide among adolescents since the early 2010s.

Recent statistics underscore the urgency of the issue. According to the Centre for Countering Digital Hate, globally, over half of children on Instagram report experiencing some form of harm weekly. 

According to Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, in the UK, 97% of children as young as 12 are on social media, and 62% of those aged 13-17 encounter harmful content online within a four-week period. 

Additionally, one in 10 boys aged 11-14 see harmful content within 60 seconds of being online. Self-harm incidents have surged, with a 134% increase among boys aged 13-16 and a 78% increase among girls. 

According to a report by the Surgeon General, up to 95% of teenagers aged 13-17 use social media in the US. Despite age restrictions, nearly 40% of children aged 8-12 are on these platforms. 

James Holt, executive director of the Archewell Foundation, said: “Over the past two years, alongside our co-founders Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, our team has engaged deeply with parents and young people about the repercussions of social media on their mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.

“We believe in the transformative power of community, and that is why we have created this network – to connect those who face these challenges and offer mutual support." 

Jo Bacon, M&C Saatchi UK group CEO, said: “In partnership with the Archewell Foundation, we have created the #NoChildLostToSocialMedia campaign to elevate parents' voices impacted by social harms. The campaign encourages people to come together to call for change. While social media has benefits, there is a critical need to ensure it is safer for younger people everywhere.”

Guy Bradbury, creative partner at M&C Saatchi, said: “As parents, we all worry about losing our kids to social media in terms of time. This campaign highlights the risks and harmful content they can be exposed to and calls on social media companies to do more to make it safer by design. Because one child lost is one too many."