The father of a teenager who took her own life after being exposed to a torrent of harmful social media material has issued a stark warning to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer against implementing a blanket ban for under-16s.
A Father's Warning Against 'Panic-Led' Policy
Ian Russell, whose 14-year-old daughter Molly died in 2017, cautioned that a move to ban younger teens from platforms could be 'ambition-led, politically-led, panic-led'. He argued it risks driving vulnerable young people towards unregulated internet spaces, such as certain gaming platforms or even darker sites like suicide forums.
Mr Russell, who chairs the suicide prevention charity the Molly Rose Foundation, expressed concern that the government is rushing into 'hasty, non-evidence based decisions'. Instead of what he called 'sledgehammer techniques like bans', he advocates for the better enforcement of existing online safety laws.
Political Cross-Party Support and Charitable Opposition
The potential ban has garnered support from figures across the political spectrum. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch backs prohibiting under-16s from social media and also supports banning smartphones in schools. Labour's Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, has voiced similar concerns about the impact of social media on children's mental health.
This week, the House of Lords is expected to vote on an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, tabled by former Tory education minister Lord Nash and sponsored by peers including Baroness Benjamin and Baroness Cass. However, this push faces significant opposition from over 40 charities, experts, and bereaved parents.
In a joint statement, groups including the NSPCC and the Molly Rose Foundation warned that blanket bans would fail to improve children's safety and wellbeing. They fear such a policy could have dangerous unintended consequences:
- Pushing children towards riskier, less regulated websites.
- Creating a dangerous 'cliff edge' at age 16 where teens face online pressures without prior experience.
- Depriving lonely or isolated young people of a vital space for peer support and social connection.
The Call for Targeted Enforcement and Lessons from Molly
Mr Russell emphasised the importance of connection over isolation. Reflecting on his daughter's tragedy, he shared part of the notes she left, which said: 'This is all my fault. I should have told someone.' He stated: 'If Molly had found that courage and told us, she may well still be here now. Bans make that courage-finding and that connection between the generations even harder.'
The signatories to the charitable statement called for 'broader and more targeted' action. They demand existing law be 'robustly enforced' to keep under-13s off social media, games, and AI chatbots, and for platforms to provide features that allow risky content to be blocked.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy acknowledged on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that the UK is 'not doing enough' to protect young people and noted insufficient enforcement of current rules. This sentiment follows early research from Australia—which implemented a ban last month—suggesting one in ten teens seeking mental health support cited the social media restriction as a factor.
As the debate intensifies, the government faces a critical choice between a sweeping ban and a more nuanced approach focused on stringent regulation and enforcement, with the memory of Molly Russell and the safety of a generation hanging in the balance.
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