Ellen Roome, whose 14-year-old son Jools Sweeney died in what she believes was a TikTok challenge gone wrong, has called on the government to ban social media for under-16s. She accused Downing Street of being too slow and 'kicking it down the road' as a consultation on a possible ban closes this week.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Roome said: 'Come on, get a grip, let's actually stand up, do something, make a decision. I don't care if they take it away for adults and children until it's safe, just take it away, fix it, and then we can give it back.' She added that a ban would force tech companies to invest in safety.
Labour chair Anna Turley said the government would 'seize this moment' but defended the consultation process, stating: 'We need to make sure that legislation and protection keeps pace with technology as it changes.' Former health secretary Wes Streeting compared social media to tobacco, blaming tech companies for designing addictive features that harm children.
Streeting said the precautionary principle should apply, citing evidence of impacts on sleep, concentration, learning, and mental health. He noted that Australia's ban on social media for under-16s is preventing harm even if some children circumvent it: 'If it's working for half of children, that's better than it not working for any children at all.'
The government's 12-week consultation on following Australia's example includes options such as age limits on features like livestreaming, location sharing, and infinite scrolling, as well as curbing personalised algorithms and introducing mandatory screen curfews. Roome will meet Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday.
