Lauren Cowell is urging Sir Keir Starmer to meet with bereaved families whose children have died as a result of harmful social media content, intensifying her campaign for stricter online safety measures.
Demand for a Meeting
The 48-year-old has called on the Prime Minister “to do the right thing and look them in the eyes” as she pushes for a ban on children accessing dangerous material. She expressed frustration that over 20 days after a letter was hand-delivered to Downing Street requesting a meeting, the families have received no response. “Every day is another day of silence. Why won’t the Prime Minister meet with these families? The only conclusion I can draw is that he cannot look these families in the eye and promise to do the right thing because the Government is still too worried about protecting the interests of the tech companies,” she said.
Launch of 'Meet the Parents' Campaign
Lauren, partner of Britain’s Got Talent judge Simon Cowell, is today launching a “Meet the Parents” drive on social media to pressure Sir Keir. Speaking to the Mirror, she voiced bewilderment at the PM’s inaction. “Sir Keir has never responded personally to any of their emails or letters. He has basically blanked them or palmed them off to someone else to respond. All they want is the chance to tell their stories, talk about the children they’ve lost and explain why urgent action is needed. Instead, he has flat out avoided it,” she stated.
Collaboration with Raise the Age Campaign
Lauren previously teamed up with Ellen Roome, whose son Jools died after copying a deadly challenge shown on TikTok. Ellen is a key figure behind the Raise The Age campaign, which seeks to raise the minimum age for social media access from 13 to 16. The policy was initially opposed by the UK Government, but last month ministers agreed to introduce stronger controls on young people’s online activities.
Lauren now aims to maintain pressure on the Government during the consultation phase, which ends on May 26, and to ensure meaningful action is taken. “The Government made us a promise last month - that they would impose age or functionality restrictions at 16. They have said the consultation will be used to work out the details. But the consultation is mind boggling. It asks parents to answer up to 62 questions. Who has time for that? That’s why I’ve worked with the Raise The Age campaign to create a simple tool that takes just 60 seconds to respond to the consultation. If you want to tell the Government to keep their promise, head to raisetheage.org.uk and do so. I can’t be any clearer. This is not the time for weak compromises or watered-down measures at the end of the consultation. This is a time for action. We will accept nothing less than what has been promised. No ifs, no buts,” she declared.
Social Media Post
In a hard-hitting social media post, Lauren wrote: “On 25th April, a group of bereaved parents sent a letter to 10 Downing Street. These families have all lost children to social media related harm. They asked for a meeting with the Prime Minister. To share their stories. To be seen. To be heard. To ask the government to take immediate action to protect children online. 22 days later. Still no reply. Still no meeting. Instead the Prime Minister met with the tech companies. His continued silence in response to the letter is unacceptable and speaks volumes about the disregard for accountability. On 27th April, the Government gave a binding commitment. To raise the age for harmful social media features to 16. Their consultation ends on 26th May. They must deliver on that promise, no ifs, ands, or buts. We will not accept anything less. #meettheparents #raisetheage.”
Personal Experience and Advocacy
Lauren previously told the Mirror how she was shocked after her 12-year-old son Eric downloaded Snapchat. She eventually agreed to allow him a “brick” phone with no apps. This sparked a debate with Simon about social media dangers, leading them to meet Ellen. Moved by her story, they felt compelled to act. Learning about the addictive nature of apps was eye-opening for Lauren, particularly struck by US court cases in Los Angeles and New Mexico involving Meta and YouTube over exposure of children to harmful content. “What has shocked me most is learning just how much these companies appear to know about the harms and dangers on their platforms, yet these features and algorithms continue to exist. It genuinely feels like Big Tobacco all over again — years of denial, delay and profit before children’s safety. I believe the internal emails, documents and evidence emerging through these court cases should be made public so every parent can see exactly what these companies knew, when they knew it, and what they continued to allow despite the risks to children. Parents deserve the truth,” she said.
She has previously told the Mirror: “These platforms are designed to keep children engaged for as long as possible. And very quickly, what starts out as something innocent can escalate into something far more harmful.”
