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.
