The Duchess of Sussex opened up about making difficult decisions and overcoming her fears as she joined the Fortune Most Powerful Women Next Gen Summit on Tuesday. During the virtual conversation, Meghan also made a surprising admission about online platforms, admitting that she has "not been on social media for a very long time".
Speaking from her Santa Barbara home, the Duchess continued: "I 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 UK.
"But that wasn’t managed by us, that was a whole team. And so I think that comes with the territory for the job that you have. I've made a personal choice to not have any account."
READ: Meghan Markle opens up about making difficult decisions for her family
WATCH: Meghan speaks about making the world better for Archie
She also spoke about her concerns around social media, saying: "You know, people who are addicted to drugs are called users and people who are on social media are called users and I there is something algorithmically that is in there that is creating this obsession that I think is very unhealthy for a lot of people.
"So I would just say, as you‘re out there building your brands, as you’re out there engaging with your friends online, just be conscious of what you’re doing and understand that it is not limited to that one moment, that you are creating an echo chamber for yourself."
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© Fortune MPWMeghan spoke with Fortune's Emma Hinchliffe
Shortly after her engagement to Prince Harry in November 2017, Meghan deactivated all of her personal Instagram, Twitter and Facebook accounts. Over the years, the Suits star had delighted fans with her candid selfies, photos of her dogs and from her travels around the world, as well as peeks into her chic Toronto home. As well as shutting down her social media accounts, Meghan also made the decision to close her lifestyle website The Tig in April 2017.
When the former actress first joined the royal family, she and Harry shared the same @KensingtonRoyal accounts with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. When the Sussexes established their own royal household before the arrival of their son Archie in May 2019, they also created their own @SussexRoyal Instagram account, where they announced his birth.
However, almost a year after setting up their own Instagram page, Harry and Meghan made the decision to no longer use the account following their decision to step back as senior royals.
Harry and Meghan's final Instagram post for @SussexRoyal
In a final post to their 10.6 million followers, they wrote: "While you may not see us here, the work continues. Thank you to this community - for the support, the inspiration and the shared commitment to the good in the world. We look forward to reconnecting with you soon. You've been great! Until then, please take good care of yourselves, and of one another. Harry and Meghan."
At the time a spokesperson explained that the @SussexRoyal Instagram account and website "will remain in existence online for the foreseeable future, although they will be inactive".
Harry and Meghan are expected to launch their own charity Archewell but it remains to be seen if they will open new social media accounts to document their work.
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