Prince Harry and Meghan Markle believe Britain's incoming under-16 social media ban is a 'welcome step forward' but does 'not fix the problem at its source'.The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who regularly speak out about online safety, warned more needed to be done to keep children away from harmful material.Sir Keir Starmer unveiled the ban amid mounting concerns social media is unsafe, making children unhappy and could cause lasting damage to their mental health.Bereaved parents and child safety campaigners welcomed the Prime Minister's move as a necessity for young people who they say are exposed to harmful content online.But some big tech firms hit back at the announcement amid claims that a blanket ban on social media for under-16s could drive them into unregulated online spaces.Harry and Meghan backed the incoming ban yesterday, but warned 'while measures such as these help reduce harm, they do not fix the problem at its source'.In a statement on their Sussex.com website, the couple said: 'We welcome the UK Government's announcement of new measures to better protect children online.'The stories shared through The Lost Screen Memorial remind us that behind every debate about technology and regulation are real families whose lives have been forever changed. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, pictured during their tour of Amman, Jordan, on February 26 Meghan speaks at the opening of the Lost Screen Memorial in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 17'While measures such as these may help reduce harm, they do not fix the problem at its source. Lasting change requires safer platforms by design, meaningful accountability, and a commitment to putting children's well-being ahead of engagement and profit.'The burden cannot rest solely on parents and children. It must also be borne by the companies. Until then, every day without meaningful change is another day that children remain exposed to preventable harm. Full statement from Harry and Meghan on social media ban This is the full statement from Prince Harry and Meghan on the social media ban, as taken from Sussex.com:UK Takes A Step Toward Online SafetyJun. 2026A statement from Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex.We welcome the UK Government’s announcement of new measures to better protect children online.The stories shared through The Lost Screen Memorial remind us that behind every debate about technology and regulation are real families whose lives have been forever changed.While measures such as these may help reduce harm, they do not fix the problem at its source. Lasting change requires safer platforms by design, meaningful accountability, and a commitment to putting children’s wellbeing ahead of engagement and profit.The burden cannot rest solely on parents and children. It must also be borne by the companies.Until then, every day without meaningful change is another day that children remain exposed to preventable harm.Stronger protections are better than inaction, and today’s announcement is a welcome step forward. 'Stronger protections are better than inaction, and today's announcement is a welcome step forward.'At the opening of the Lost Screen Memorial in Geneva, Switzerland, last month, Meghan urged global health leaders to act to keep children safe online.Speaking at the memorial for people who have died after suffering digital harm, the duchess described children's online safety as a 'public health issue'.The Government's incoming ban, set to be passed by Christmas and in place by spring next year, will leave tech firms, rather than children, liable for enforcement action if they fail to comply.There will also be measures to prevent children from chatting with adults on gaming and livestreaming platforms.The Government is also looking at potential overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for under-18s, with more details expected next month.Artificial intelligence (AI) 'romantic companion' chatbots designed to simulate sexual relationships with users will have a minimum age of 18, while more general AI tools will have similar functions restricted for children.Some online safety campaigners have expressed doubt on the social media ban, with the Molly Rose Foundation claiming it could be 'unenforceable' and that the Prime Minister had chosen 'not to follow the evidence but take the politically expedient option instead'.The foundation, set up in memory of 14-year-old Molly Russell, who took her own life in 2017 after viewing harmful content online, suggested a ban might fail to address what it describes as 'fundamental product safety issues' such as harmful and distressing content being pushed to people through personalised algorithms.Sir Keir said the move will give youngsters back their childhood and, while acknowledging some might try to find their way around a ban, he said he would not compromise on the 'safety and happiness of our children'. Sir Keir Starmer speaks about the ban during a press conference at Downing Street yesterday Sir Keir Starmer speaks yesterday with families involved in the consultation at Downing StreetAt a Downing Street press conference yesterday, Sir Keir said the ban was a 'big moment for our country' and that he was clear 'that a full ban is the right choice'.The Prime Minister, father of two teenagers, said 'every parent can see it with their own eyes' that 'social media is making children unhappy'.He said social media was 'making it easier for bullies to harass and abuse' children and 'could even be harming their mental health – exposing them to content that is dangerous, because that's what grabs the attention'.The ban is expected to cover platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X but not messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal.Sir Keir suggested YouTube Kids, Lego Play and Google Classroom would not be covered by the prohibition.The social media ban follows a similar move in Australia, where there has been criticism about the way it is enforced, with some youngsters making use of virtual private networks (VPNs) and other methods to get around it.The Government intends to use highly-effective age assurance (HEAA) measures to make it more difficult for children to dodge the ban.Those methods could include facial age estimates, photo ID or bank checks according to guidance from regulator Ofcom.