In a new interview with Fast Company (opens in new tab), Prince Harry explained why he and his wife Meghan Markle are actively working to raise awareness about the dangers of spreading misinformation online (opens in new tab). The Duke of Sussex said that the often racist, sexist, and outright false tabloid coverage of his relationship with the Duchess had made him wary of social media.

"It was really amazing to see how my story was told one way, my wife's story was told one way, and then in the wake of our marriage, the way that story was told became something completely different," Prince Harry said in an interview. 'That false narrative became the mother ship for the harassment you mention. Had our story been told honestly, the harassment would not have started."

Prince Harry expressed that even though the couple's lives were often affected by the false stories circulating online, it also led them to meet people around the world who are working to combat the spread of misinformation.

"But the important thing about our experience is that it led us to hear from many people around the world. We often thought about people who are much more vulnerable than we are and how much they need true empathy and support," the prince continued.

"To varying degrees, everyone is deeply affected by the current consequences of the digital space. It may be personal, like seeing a loved one go down the path of radicalization, or collective, like seeing the science behind the climate crisis debunked. We are all susceptible to it. That is why I see this issue as neither a technical nor a political issue, but a humanitarian one.

The Duke of Sussex, who now lives in California (open in new tab) with his wife and young son Archie, also mentioned this month's attack on the U.S. Capitol (open in new tab). Many blame the siege on former President Donald Trump's dangerous use of social media to spread falsehoods about the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

"We are losing loved ones to conspiracy theories, we are losing our sense of self to a barrage of false truths, and on the largest scale, we are losing our democracy. Even the defectors who helped build these platforms cannot exaggerate the magnitude of this," Prince Harry continued. It takes courage to stand up, to point out where we are going wrong, to offer suggestions and solutions. The need for this has never been greater. So I am encouraged and grateful for the swell of people who are working or have worked within these very platforms, choosing to speak out against hatred, violence, division, and chaos."

"I think it is a false choice to say that we must choose between free speech or a more compassionate and trusting digital world. They are not mutually exclusive.