The father of a teenager who tragically took her own life after viewing suicide and self-harm content online has voiced his opposition to a proposed ban on under-16s accessing social media. Ian Russell, the father of Molly Russell, told BBC’s Newscast that the government should instead focus on enforcing existing laws rather than implementing “sledgehammer techniques like bans.”
Russell’s comments come as the debate around social media regulation for minors heats up in the UK. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has not ruled out an under-16 social media ban, following Australia’s implementation of a similar measure in December. The House of Lords is set to vote on more nuanced proposals next week, which could be added as an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
While several Labour MPs and officials have indicated they expect the UK government to follow Australia’s lead, Russell and a number of children’s charities and online safety organisations have signed a joint statement opposing such a move. They argue that a blanket ban would create a “false sense of safety” and fail to address the core issues.
“Many of them have said things like: ‘this is not something that should be a party political issue’,” Russell said, expressing concern that politicians have “capitalised” on the issue. Instead, he believes the government should be “enforcing laws already on the books more robustly.”
The Molly Rose Foundation, a suicide prevention charity named after Russell’s daughter, and organisations including the NSPCC, Parent Zone and Childnet, have called a ban the “wrong solution.” They argue that it would “see children – but also the threats to them – migrate to other areas online,” and that a “broader and more targeted” approach is needed.
The statement urges the government to strengthen the Online Safety Act to compel online companies to “deliver age-appropriate experiences,” suggesting that social media platforms should have different minimum age limits reflecting the risks they pose to children, similar to the ratings system for films and video games.
As the debate continues, the UK government’s next steps on social media regulation for minors remain to be seen. However, with bereaved families and children’s charities voicing their concerns, policymakers will need to carefully consider the potential unintended consequences of any proposed measures.
