On International Women’s Day, Meghan, alongside Brooke Shields, Katie Couric, Errin Haines, and Nancy Wang Yuen, participated in a panel discussion titled Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen.

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, delivered a compelling keynote panel discussion at SXSW, added just in time for Women’s Day, addressing the detrimental effects of social media on women. 

During the panel she emphasized, “Even if it’s making dollars, it doesn’t make sense.” 

The Duchess of Sussex, reflected on the toxicity pervasive in social media platforms.

And acknowledged the prevalence of negativity online and shared her approach to handling it by maintaining a distance. 

Particularly during her pregnancies with Archie and Lily, Markle revealed experiencing an onslaught of disparaging comments, expressing bewilderment at the “catty and cruel” nature of online discourse.

Markle further lamented the phenomenon of women perpetuating hate towards their fellow women, emphasizing the need to reclaim humanity in digital interactions. 

She questioned the rationale behind sharing hurtful content about women with others, urging for a reevaluation of online behavior.

Also, highlighted a notable absence of acknowledgment of the streaming platform during the SXSW panel, underscoring broader discussions about accountability and responsibility in online spaces.

Her remarks were echoed by fellow panelist Katie Couric, who highlighted concerning statistics indicating that social media’s impact on young women is comparable to the effects of binge drinking, leading to alarming spikes in suicide rates.

Couric, a former host of Today Show and CBS Evening News, underscored the urgency of the situation, stating, “We have a real crisis on our hands here.”