Harry says he warned Dorsey that Twitter ‘was allowing a coup’ before US Capitol riots

Prince Harry claims he told Twitter boss Jack Dorsey via email about the danger of a “coup” in the US the day before the January 6 Capitol riots.

Speaking to a Re:Wired panel themed “The Internet Lie Machine”, on the dangers of internet misinformation on Tuesday, US time, Harry said he had been emailing with Dorsey “prior to January 6″.

“I warned him that his platform was allowing a coup to be staged,” Harry said.

“That email was sent the day before, then it happened and I have not heard from him since.”

Dorsey has not responded on his Twitter profile, though he later posted a screenshot of his email notifications showing his inbox was full.

On January 6, pro-Trump rioters attacked the Capitol building and delayed Congress’ certification of President Joe Biden’s victory.

Trump gave an incendiary speech before the assault on the building, repeating his false claims that the November 2020 election was stolen from him through widespread voting fraud and urging his supporters to go to the Capitol and “fight like hell” to “stop the steal”.

About 700 people face criminal charges stemming from the riot.

Trump was kicked out of Twitter in the wake of the riots. The company said it made the decision due to the risk of further incitement of violence.

A House committee investigating the insurrection has subpoenaed a number of former Trump White House officials, including adviser Stephen Miller and press secretary Kayleigh McEnany who were among 10 new names announced on Tuesday.

During his appearance, Harry also said the term “Megxit”, used by the press to describe the decision by him and his wife Meghan to quit their royal duties, was misogynistic.

He said it was an example of online and media hatred.

“Maybe people know this and maybe they don’t, but the term Megxit was or is a misogynistic term, and it was created by a troll, amplified by royal correspondents, and it grew and grew and grew into mainstream media. But it began with a troll,” Harry said. He did not elaborate.

Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, moved to California last year to lead a more independent life. Harry has said that part of the reason for their departure was the British tabloid media’s racist treatment of Meghan, whose mother is black and whose father is white.

A study released in October by social media analytics service Bot Sentinel identified 83 accounts on Twitter that it said were responsible for 70 per cent of the hateful content and misinformation aimed at Meghan and Harry.

Referring to the study, Harry said “perhaps the most disturbing part of this was the number of British journalists who were interacting with them and amplifying the lies. But they regurgitate these lies as truth”.

Harry and Meghan have since campaigned against social media negativity that they say is affecting people’s mental health.

On Tuesday, Harry called misinformation a “global humanitarian crisis.”

Reuters, Nine, staff reporter