A mother from Gloucestershire, who is taking part in a landmark legal action against TikTok, has issued a stark warning to parents about the hidden dangers of social media platforms. Ellen Roome believes her 14-year-old son, Julian 'Jools' Sweeney, may have died after attempting an online challenge, but she has been blocked from accessing his account data to find answers.
A Transatlantic Fight for Answers
Ms Roome is one of five British families suing TikTok and its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, in the United States. They allege the platform is responsible for the wrongful deaths of their children, who they say died while attempting the viral 'blackout challenge'. This dangerous trend encourages people to choke themselves until they lose consciousness.
The lawsuit, filed last year, will face a crucial hearing on Friday 16th January 2026, where TikTok's lawyers will attempt to have the case dismissed. They argue it should be heard in the UK. If the motion fails, the case will move to a discovery phase, potentially forcing TikTok to hand over internal records and the children's account data—a process that could take years.
"It's ridiculous that we've got to go across the pond to try and sue for our children's data when we're in England," Ms Roome told The Mirror. "The English system isn't set up to be able to sue properly."
The Tragic Cases Behind the Lawsuit
The legal action involves the families of five children: Jools Sweeney, 14; Isaac Kenevan, 13; Archie Battersbee, 12; Maia Walsh, 13; and Noah Gibson, 11. Jools was found unconscious in his Cheltenham bedroom in April 2022. A coroner recorded a conclusion of suicide but said it was unlikely he intended to die, leaving the precise details unclear.
Archie Battersbee was found at his home in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, on 7th April 2022. A coroner concluded he died after a "prank or experiment" went wrong and did not rule out his involvement in online challenges. Maia Walsh died at her Hertfordshire home in October 2022, shortly before her 14th birthday. An inquest is focusing on her exposure to self-harm videos on TikTok.
Isaac Kenevan's mother found her son lifeless on their bathroom floor in Essex in March 2022, believing he was taking part in a choking challenge. The family of Noah Gibson has recently joined the four original families in the lawsuit.
Campaigning for 'Jools' Law' in the UK
Alongside the US lawsuit, Ellen Roome is campaigning tirelessly in the UK for legislative change. She is calling for 'Jools' Law', which would mandate the automatic preservation of a child's online data immediately following their death. This data could provide vital evidence for coroners and grieving families seeking answers.
"When a child dies, the data should be preserved so it's immediately there as it forms evidence to what happened to the child," Ms Roome explained. She believes her son would be "looking down very proud" of her efforts to protect other children globally.
Crossbench peer Baroness Beeban Kidron has tabled an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill to enact this automatic data preservation. The amendment is expected to be debated in Parliament at the end of January 2026. Baroness Kidron criticised the government's inaction, stating: "For the state to let you down when you are at the worst moment when your child has died - is cruelty upon tragedy."
TikTok has stated that its "deepest sympathies remain with these families" and insists it proactively removes 99% of content that breaks its rules against dangerous behaviour before it is reported. The company also says it complies with UK data protection laws, which require the deletion of personal data, and claims it can no longer access the history from Jools's account.
Ms Roome rejects this, accusing the platform of having "no morals". "If they had nothing to hide, why would they not just say: 'Here you go, parents, here's your child's social media data'?" she asked. For her and the other bereaved parents, the fight for answers and accountability is far from over.
