Palace Urges Social Media Firms for Help With Rising Meghan-Kate Abuse

By: Yassmine ElSayed

CAIRO, Jan. 31 (SEE) - Officials at Kensington Palace urged social media firms for help in combating a boom in abuse aimed at the British Duchesses Kate and Meghan.

CNN quoted a source that the royal household -- which oversees the offices of Prince William and Kate, and Prince Harry and Meghan -- has directly appealed to Instagram and Twitter for assistance in controlling vicious online comments aimed at both women.

The abuse is often made against one duchess by supporters of the other.

Since its social media accounts were set up, the palace has used both manual and automatic tools for monitoring them, and it deletes and reports anything deemed abusive, racist, sexist or violent. These automated tools have helped bring down the levels of abuse, said the source.

Comments that are simply critical are not censored, while users are also encouraged to report any abusive content.

The source told CNN that the palace had previously contacted Twitter about particularly unpleasant or threatening comments, adding that Instagram had been especially helpful in providing monitoring tools to aid in blocking abusive comments.

Days ago, a leading UK celebrity magazine launched a campaign calling for people to change their online behavior and think twice before posting abuse.

Hello! launched its #HelloToKindness campaign in a direct response to the rise in offensive language directed at the two women.

Magazine's royal editor, Emily Nash, told CNN: "There's a wider narrative in the media pitting them against each other, and unfortunately people are piling in and taking sides."

The rise in abuse directed at the women comes after months of reports in British tabloid newspapers that claim they are locked in a long-running feud.