Ellen Roome, whose 14-year-old son Jools Sweeney died in what she believes was a TikTok challenge gone wrong, has criticised Downing Street for being too slow to act on a social media ban for under-16s. She accused the government of 'kicking it down the road' ahead of a meeting with Keir Starmer on Tuesday, as a consultation on a possible ban closes this week.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Roome called for decisive action: '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 argued that technology companies should invest in making platforms safe before they are reintroduced.
Labour Party chair Anna Turley said the government would 'seize this moment' but defended the consultation process, stressing the need for legislation that keeps pace with technological change. Former health secretary Wes Streeting, who compared social media to tobacco, blamed tech companies for designing addictive products aimed at children.
Streeting cited growing evidence of harm to sleep, concentration, learning, and mental health, and urged applying the precautionary principle. He noted that Australia's ban on social media for under-16s was preventing harm for many children, even if some circumvented it. 'If it's working for half of children, that's better than it not working for any children at all,' he said.
Ministers have run a 12-week consultation on whether to follow Australia's example. Other measures under consideration include age limits on features like livestreaming, location sharing, and infinite scrolling, as well as curbs on personalised algorithms and mandatory screen curfews.
