Meghan Markle made a virtual appearance at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Next Gen Summit on Tuesday, sharing her concerns about social media and explaining why urging her fellow Americans to vote isn’t actually controversial at all.
Meghan told Fortune’s Emma Hinchliffe she was worried for people who are obsessed with social media, likening it to an addiction.
“People who are addicted to drugs are called ‘users’ and people who are on social media are called ‘users.’ There is something in there ― algorithmically ― that is creating this obsession,” Meghan added.
The duchess said that for her own “self-preservation,” she stays off social media entirely.
“I have not been on social media for a very long time,” Meghan said. “I’d had a personal account years ago, which I closed down. And then we had one through the institution in our office that was in the U.K., but that wasn’t managed by us. That was a whole team.”
“Something, algorithmically, is creating this obsession.”
Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex warns against the pitfalls of social media addiction during a conversation at the #FortuneMPW Next Gen Summit. https://t.co/hhyvMGAoyf pic.twitter.com/eKpB0U38AW
— FORTUNE (@FortuneMagazine) October 13, 2020
“I’ve made a personal choice to not have any account,” Meghan added. “So I don’t know what’s out there. And in many ways, that’s helpful for me. I have a lot of concerns for people that have become obsessed with it.”
One apparent obsession of the Duchess of Sussex’s detractors: her comments about getting people to the polls for the upcoming U.S. election.
Though both Meghan and her husband, Prince Harry, have declined to mention a political party or promote a particular candidate, they have made headlines across the world and attracted the attention of various politicians, including U.S. President Donald Trump, for encouraging Americans to vote.
Meghan seemingly responded to the backlash by saying that she is “cautious of putting my family in a position of risk by certain things,” but that voting isn’t one of them.
“I try to be rather very clear with what I say and to not make it controversial, but instead to talk about things that seem fairly straightforward ― like exercising your right to vote,” she said. “I think that is as simple as it comes and as necessary as it comes.”
“Your voice matters,” she emphasized. “And I think you realize it more when you are not able to exercise it. So, you know, regardless of my experience over the last few years compared to anyone’s experience, you can’t take for granted the ability you have as a woman to be able to be heard.”
