Prince Harry hits out at far-right disinformation after Southport riots while on Colombia trip
16 August 2024, 08:26
Prince Harry has spoken out about the dangers of false information spreading online during his trip to Colombia with Meghan.
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The Duke of Sussex warned of how quickly disinformation and misinformation can be shared around on social media, leading to real-world consequences.
It came after riots swept the UK earlier in August after the killing of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport. The disorder was largely sparked by false rumours on social media that the suspect was a Muslim asylum seeker.
Harry told a summit on digital responsibility during his trip that "what happens online within a matter of minutes transfers to the streets."
He added: "People are acting on information that isn't true."
Read more: Smiling Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive in Colombia ahead of four-day national tour
Harry and Meghan arrived in Colombia on Thursday for a four-day tour of the South American country.
They were greeted in the capital Bogota on Thursday by Colombia's vice-president Francia Marquez.
The pair spent around half an hour at the vice-president's home, where they exchanged gifts and ate traditional pandebono - a Colombian cheese bread dish.
It remains unknown how the Sussexes have funded this trip but the couple will have full security detail while travelling the country.
On Friday, Harry and Meghan will attend a lunch hosted by Marquez before visiting the cities of Cartagena and Cali over the weekend.
They are also expected to attend the Petronio Álvarez festival, a four-day festival in celebration of Afro-Colombian music and culture.
Harry's comments about disinformation came after he and Meghan visited a school, the Colegio Cultura Popular, on Thursday and joined a summit, in collaboration with their Archewell Foundation, about creating a healthier digital landscape.
They spoke to children in a session where the class talked about their favourite and least favourite parts of social media, technology and dealing with life on the internet.
Meghan said the group should aim to be "self-reliant and not tech-reliant" while Harry about asked the conversations they have with their families about managing social media and literacy.
