More than eight years ago my youngest daughter, Molly, died after being bombarded with suicide and self-harm material on social media. I had hope that Keir Starmer would finally take the measures needed to address the harm Molly was subjected to, but his social media ban for under-16s leaves me desperately worried for the safety of children online.
Why would anyone believe a word the man said? Well, apart from a man who wants the government to raise his child for him I suppose...
Instead of tackling the product safety issues that cost my daughter’s life, he is choosing to take a politically easy route which the evidence shows – and experts warn – will not work, and will leave children at continued risk.
Well, yes. He’s a politician and a beleaguered one at that who will do anything to cling to power, no matter what promises he has made in the past!
Parents are right that action is needed, and is needed now. But two years into this government, the prime minister has failed time and again to take on big tech with the tough regulation he promised in opposition. Starmer also promised me personally that he would implement effective measures to strengthen regulation and finally address the harm caused by social media. He has failed to keep either promise.
He hasn’t, as far as I can tell, kept any promises, unless it’s ones he made to the string pullers behind the scenes who want to see the UK brought low.
He also promised bereaved parents after the recent consultation on children’s social media use that he would follow the evidence and take the time to consider his response then act decisively. Instead, he has rushed out a ban.
As we have seen in Australia, where a social media ban for under-16s came into effect in December 2025, teens and children are able to circumvent the ban – with 60% still accessing social media.
And they will do the same with this one, if he manages to get it through Parliament, of course. The man who will soon vie to sit in that seat may find that a little more challenging than expected.
Today’s news is giving parents false hope. But in this announcement, the prime minister has abdicated responsibility for product safety, and has failed to put forward a plan for tackling the algorithms that cost Molly’s life and, tragically, will cost many more.
If there's one thing that marks out this man, it's that concern for the welfare of children is little more than skin-deep.
8 comments:
This is censorship by the back door. They aren't even trying to hide it anymore. Fortunately Starmer is a dead man walking so this probably won't happen now, but his successor is also left-wing scum so watch this space for updates.
Jaded
It's easy to form the impression that most of such bereaved parents start or participate in their noisy campaigning mainly as a distraction technique to discourage folk (or even themselves) from asking the obvious questions about the quality of parenting provided to the deceased child.
Or maybe I'm just cynical . . .
Another parent who is unable to control their child and blames everyone else when something awful happens to them..
I think Burnham will not be so keen, as he won’t want to be tarnished bunStarmer’s mistakes
If you are cynical you are in good company here!
There’s certainly no shortage of them!
The UK child suicide rate is lower than it was in the 1980's and 90's. It is entirely possible that reduced isolation through better communications has led to this.
Interesting possibility!! I wonder how that could be checked?
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