The idea of banning social media for kids under sixteen once again cropped up in the news this morning. As I wrote here a few weeks ago, I’m still very much on the fence when it comes to the issue: there are obviously huge advantages and disadvantages to preventing kids using sites like Facebook. However, one issue I need to raise about this morning’s coverage is that it included an item about Prince Harry voicing his opinions on the issue down in Australia. I know most people won’t be very concerned by this, but does that not strike anyone else as weird? Here we have a figure, who nobody voted for or elected, speaking about quite a current, resonant, controversial political issue in a foreign country, and getting it covered on national breakfast television. What gave this guy the right to intervene in politics in this way, give public speeches on such issues, or indeed to use the topic to essentially increase his cultural/political footprint? I know most people won’t be that bothered by this story, but I feel I need to point out how odd, even mildly troubling, I find it.