Mother of boy who may have died in TikTok challenge urges No 10 to ban social media
Summary
The mother of a 14-year-old boy who may have died due to a TikTok challenge wants the UK government to ban social media for children under 16 until platforms are safer. UK politicians and families are urging faster action to protect children from harmful social media effects, with some pointing to Australia’s ban on under-16s as a successful example.Key Facts
- Ellen Roome’s son, Jools Sweeney, may have died following a dangerous TikTok challenge.
- Roome criticizes the UK government for delaying a social media ban for children under 16.
- A 12-week consultation on the ban is ending soon, with families set to meet opposition leader Keir Starmer.
- Former health secretary Wes Streeting says tech companies design addictive features that harm children’s health and wellbeing.
- Australia has banned social media use for under-16s and reported reduced harm among young people.
- Possible new rules could limit features like livestreaming, location sharing, infinite scrolling, and personalized content feeds.
- Screen time limits (curfews) are also being considered as part of the new protections.
- Politicians stress the need for updated laws to keep children safe as technology changes.
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