Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, has accused social media companies of not being adequately proactive when dealing with fake news, privacy issues and cyber-bullying, according to a report in BBC.
The report said in a speech given at the BBC, Prince William said social networks had allowed “misinformation and conspiracy to pollute the public sphere”.
“Their self-image is so grounded in their positive power for good that they seem unable to engage in constructive discussion about the social problems they are creating,” he warned.
The prince and the Duchess of Cambridge had been invited to the BBC to try out a new internet safety app, according to the report.
During their visit, the royal couple met children and their parents who had helped design it.
“The tools that we use to congratulate each other on milestones and successes can also be used to normalise speech that is filled with bile and hate. The websites we use to stay connected can for some create profound feelings of loneliness and inadequacy,” said the Prince in his speech.
The prince said tech firms had a “great deal to learn” on responsibility.
“Social media companies have done more to connect the world than has ever been achieved in human history. Surely you can connect with each other about smart ways to deal with the unintended consequences of these connections,” he said.
“You can reject the false choice of profits over values. You can choose to do good and be successful,” he added.
