A grieving mother from Northumberland, whose daughter died by suicide after being bullied online, has criticised the government's decision to ban social media for under 16s, stating that the policy has not been properly thought through.
Charley's Story
Charley Ann Patterson, aged 12, took her own life at her home in Cramlington, Northumberland, in October 2020. An inquest in 2022 revealed that she had been subjected to cruel messages online and had received a TikTok video showing how to tie a knot shortly before her death.
Her mother, Jay Patterson, had previously urged the government to restrict young people's access to social media. However, following Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's announcement of an outright ban earlier today, she expressed concerns that it has not been fully considered.
Government's Ban Plan
The government plans to follow the Australian model, prohibiting platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X for under 16s, while allowing WhatsApp and Signal. The ban is expected to come into force by early next year, with regulation to be passed before Christmas and enforcement in early 2027.
Sir Keir acknowledged that some children might circumvent the ban but described it as "the right choice." The government also intends to take "world leading" action on gaming and live streaming platforms to prevent strangers from contacting children.
Jay's Concerns
Jay Patterson argued that the ban could lead to issues, stating: "There are still going to be issues, you can't guarantee that the age verification is going to work; and when they reach 16 they get access to all this forbidden content. It's information overload and it could cause more problems."
She believes that instead of banning under 16s, the focus should be on making platforms safer and holding those who run them accountable. She also emphasised the need to teach children how to use social media safely, comparing it to learning to drive a car.
Charley had been struggling with low mood and anxiety related to friendship difficulties, the Covid-19 lockdown, and other factors. She had told a nurse that she was bullied online and could not reconcile with friends due to lockdown restrictions. One message sent to her read: "You're useless, you can't even kill yourself properly."
Despite blocking people, Charley continued to receive nasty messages, including on the online game Roblox. Jay noted that there were "red flags" before her daughter's death, but Charley did not know where to turn for help.
Feeling Betrayed
Jay expressed feeling "let down" by the Prime Minister, stating: "Despite having met with Keir Starmer and a few other politicians since he became PM, he has not responded to messages or stuck to anything since he said since his campaign. I feel a little bit betrayed, we were good enough to be a story while he was doing his campaign. We were sadly forgotten and he doesn't care enough to consider what the impact of that was."
She suggested that the ban might be a way for the government to appear proactive amid other challenges. ChronicleLive has contacted the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology for comment.
