A mother broke down in tears during a live television interview as she demanded answers from social media giants about the death of her teenage son, which she believes was caused by a dangerous online trend.
A Mother's Unanswered Questions
Ellen Roome appeared on BBC Breakfast, hosted by Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt, to discuss the devastating loss of her 14-year-old son, Jools Sweeney. Jools was found unconscious in 2022 and later died. A coroner ruled his death was unintended.
Ms Roome revealed she has been unable to access her son's accounts on TikTok, Meta, and Snapchat. She believes the data held there could explain why he took his own life. She suspects Jools, who was "massive on social media," died after an online challenge went terribly wrong.
"Jools was the most caring, loving, bright child," a tearful Ms Roome told the programme. "He just had the most amazing, kind heart, and it just doesn't make sense to me."
The Legal Battle Against Tech Giants
Ellen Roome is part of a group of bereaved parents who have filed wrongful death lawsuits against TikTok in the United States. She is preparing to appear in court for the legal battle. The lawsuit alleges that Jools and four other British children died after being exposed to harmful content promoted by TikTok's algorithms.
"TikTok are trying to kick us out of the lawsuit and say we've got no grounds," Ms Roome explained. "Assuming we stay in, we move to the next stage, which is discovery, where TikTok will have to release our children's data."
She expressed frustration at the companies' reluctance to share information: "I do think if social media companies had nothing to hide, why have they not said to us, here's the data."
Campaigning for 'Jools' Law'
Ms Roome's fight has extended to the UK Parliament, where she is campaigning for 'Jools' Law'. This proposed legislation would grant parents the right to access their deceased children's social media accounts. A petition supporting the law gained 126,000 signatures and was debated in Parliament.
The final footage of Jools, captured on a Ring doorbell, shows him laughing happily with a friend shortly before his death. "He goes in laughing, so what on earth happened in that last hour and a half?" Ms Roome questioned. "That's what I want to piece together."
While acknowledging she cannot bring her son back, she hopes her campaign will force accountability. "If we can start proving... that children are fed this [content]... then we can start holding those companies accountable," she stated.
The mother from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, faces legal costs of up to £86,000 to continue her fight. She described the horror of losing a child without understanding why, noting Jools was a happy boy with many friends and no apparent concerns from those around him.
In a statement to the BBC, TikTok said: "Our deepest sympathies remain with these families. We strictly prohibit content that promotes or encourages dangerous behaviour... TikTok no longer has watch or search history for Jools because the law requires it to delete people's personal data unless it is needed for running a business."
