Parents told Government to announce online safety plan in ‘weeks, not months’
Ellen Roome's son Jules Sweeney was just 14 when he died after doing what she believes was an online challenge.
The bereaved parents of children whose deaths were linked to social media have been told during a meeting with the Prime Minister that measures should be announced in a matter of “weeks, not months”.
The group attended 10 Downing Street on Tuesday afternoon as the Government’s Growing Up In The Online World consultation, which floated measures such as an Australia-style social media ban for under-16s, app curfews and limits on addictive features, closes.
Speaking outside of No 10 after the meeting, the parents, many of whom carried a picture of their child, urged Sir Keir Starmer to take action quickly.
Ellen Roome, who believes her son Jools Sweeney died aged 14 after looking at harmful content online, said: “We have been campaigning for years and been crying out for action.
“They now need to step up and do something.
“I’d love to have come out right now as a: ‘Yes they’re going to do something and it’s really positive’,” she added.
“I pushed quite hard on why haven’t they done something now, and this whole thing around the consultation was because various charities have said they need to consider their views.
“While we’re waiting, more and more children are dying.
“They need to take action – apparently that will be weeks, not months.”
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