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 implement a social media ban for under-16s. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, she accused Downing Street of being too slow and 'kicking it down the road'.
Roome is among families meeting Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday as a consultation on a possible ban closes this week. She 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.'
Labour party chair Anna Turley said the government would 'seize this moment' but stressed the importance of the consultation process. 'We need to make sure that legislation and protection keeps pace with technology as it changes, and protects our children going forward,' she added.
Former health secretary Wes Streeting compared social media to tobacco, blaming tech companies for designing addictive products. 'They know that it is harmful, and the business model is orientated towards getting kids while they're young, addicting them,' he told the Today programme. Streeting cited growing evidence of harm to sleep, concentration, learning and mental health, arguing the precautionary principle should apply.
Streeting also pointed to Australia's ban on social media for under-16s, saying even if it only works for half of children, it is better than nothing. Ministers have run a 12-week consultation on whether to follow Australia's example, with other measures under consideration including age limits on features like livestreaming and infinite scrolling, curbs on personalised algorithms, and mandatory screen curfews.
