Summary
The head of Pinterest mentioned that the death of Molly Russell, a 14-year-old who died in 2017 after viewing self-harm content online, serves as a constant reminder of the need for safer social media for young users. Pinterest has made changes to increase safety for young users, including making accounts for under-16s private by default. The discussion continues about the responsibility tech companies have in protecting children and the need for stricter regulations.
Key Facts
- Molly Russell was 14 years old when she died in 2017 after viewing harmful content online.
- A coroner found that the online content contributed to her death.
- Pinterest's current boss, Bill Ready, said he thinks about her case every day.
- Pinterest has made under-16 accounts private by default as a safety measure.
- There is ongoing debate about tech companies' duty of care to children.
- The UK government introduced the Online Safety Act to improve online safety for children.
- Bill Ready said tech companies should work towards making social media safer.
- Pinterest has contributed to the Molly Rose Foundation, which aims to reduce youth suicide rates.
