The father of a teenager who took her own life after being bombarded with harmful social media content has warned Sir Keir Starmer against banning under-16s from the platforms.
Ian Russell, whose daughter Molly died aged just 14, spoke out as charities warned a ban could drive vulnerable youngsters towards unregulated internet spaces like gaming platforms – or darker sites such as suicide forums.
Mr Russell, whose daughter died in 2017, warned against an ‘ambition-led, politically-led, panic-led’ drive towards ‘hasty, non-evidence based decisions’.
He called for better enforcement of existing laws rather ‘sledgehammer techniques like bans’.
Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said ‘all options are on the table’ regarding the possibility of a ban, following Australia’s move last month.
Banning under-16s from social media is backed by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch – who would also ban smartphones in schools – and Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
Streeting’s potential Labour leadership rival Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester Mayor, has also agreed with ‘a lot of what Kemi Badenoch is saying’ about social media use.
This coming week, members of the House of Lords are likely to vote on a ban as part of an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, tabled by former Tory education minister Lord Nash.
It is jointly-sponsored by Lib Dem peer and former children’s television presenter Baroness Benjamin, Labour peer Baroness Berger and independent peer Baroness Cass, a paediatrician.
But Mr Russell, who chairs suicide prevention charity, the Molly Rose Foundation, said: ‘We seem to now be choosing this moment to rush into making hasty, non-evidence based decisions. And to me, it’s ambition-led, politically-led, panic-led.
‘The notes that Molly left help us have a glimpse into the way she was thinking, gain a little understanding into the thoughts that she had that led to her death.
‘She said: ‘This is all my fault. I should have told someone’. How do you tell the people that you love that you want to end your life?
‘If Molly had found that courage and told us, she may well still be here now.
‘Bans make that courage-finding and that connection between the generations even harder’.
According to early research on Australia’s new restrictions, one in 10 teens seeking mental health support were said to have cited the social media ban as a factor.
Mr Russell said pressure from the government and regulator Ofcom can force tech giants into action, citing Elon Musk’s climbdown over his AI chatbot Grok making sexualised deepfake images. Ofcom has launched an investigation under the Online Safety Act.
The campaigning father said while internet companies are putting ‘profit over safety’, a ban would have ‘unintended consequences’, causing ‘more problems’.
In their statement, more than 40 charities including the Molly Rose Foundation and NSPCC, experts and bereaved parents said: ‘Though well-intentioned, blanket bans on social media would fail to deliver the improvement in children’s safety and wellbeing.’
The groups fear a ban could drive children to riskier sites, create a ‘cliff edge’ at 16 where youngsters would suddenly face online pressures without any prior experience, and deprive lonely teens of a place to socialise.
The signatories, also including child mental health practitioners, called for ‘broader and more targeted’ action, with existing law ‘robustly enforced’ to ensure social media sites, personalised games and AI chatbots were not accessible to under-13s.
All social media platforms should allow users to block features considered risky for children, the letter added.
An inquest into Molly’s death, held in 2022, found social media content contributed ‘more than minimally’ to the tragedy.
Anna Edmundson, NSPCC head of policy said social media, told BBC Breakfast on Sunday social media could be ‘vital’ for children.
She said: ‘It’s also really important for peer support and access to trusted sources of advice and help’.
Appearing on Sunday with Laura Keunssberg, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy acknowledged the UK is ‘not doing enough’ to keep young people safe.
She said: ‘There are strong arguments for banning under-16s from social media but there are also real concerns raised by the NSPCC and others about whether it pushes children to darker, less regulated places on the internet.’
She added: ‘Not enough enforcement action is taking place (under existing laws)’.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he believes the UK should delay a ban under the Australian measures are reviewed.
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