Molly Russell's dad says under-16 social media ban would be wrong

According to the father of a teenager who died after seeing suicide and self-harm material on social media, the prohibition of under-16s from social media would be inappropriate. According to Ian Russell, the father of Molly Russell, rather than implementing sledgehammer tactics like bans, the government should enforce existing laws rather than just "enforcing new ones like banting. Among a number of children's charities and online safety organizations that have signed a joint statement condemning such a move, the foundation he founded in Molly's honour is one of a string of children’s charities or online Since Australia introduced one in December, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hasn't ruled out an under-16 social media ban.

Next week, the House of Lords will vote on a more nuanced ban, which may be included in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill as an amendment. Many Labour MPs and officials have said that they expect the UK government to follow Australia's example, with several other European countries considering similar legislation. This week, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he favoured a ban, while Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch has said she would bring one in if her party wins the next election. But Ian Russell, who has campaigned for improved online protections for children since his daughter died on her own in 2017 at the age of 14, says bereaved families are horrified at the way politicians had capitalised on the issue.

This is not something that should not be a party political issue,

a lot of them have said. According to him, "the government should rather be enforcing laws that are already on the books more vigorously.

Russell expressed reservations about the unintended consequences of a ban, which he said would cause more problems.Companies that put profit over safety are at the center of it,he said.That has got to change, and I don't think we're that far away from changing it,

says the exasperating fact that we've all been going through these same arguments about bans again.

It's not far away

: We can focus on what we've learned rather than simply enforcing sledgehammer tactics like bans that may have unintended consequences and cause more problems.

An inquest in 2022 discovered that social media posts contributed more than minimally to Molly's death. The Molly Rose Foundation, a suicide prevention charity named after Russell's daughter, has been banned from participating in activities such as the NSPCC, Parent Zone, and Childnet, among other things, has called a ban the It would give the appearance of security that will see children but also the risks that could face them if they were to other countries online,they wrote in a joint statement.Though well-intentioned, blanket bans on social media will not succeed in providing the necessary improvements in children's safety and wellbeing that they so urgently need. Rather than thisblunt response,

the statement, which was also signed by two child mental health professionals, was more appropriate. According to it, the new legislation should be

strongly enforced to ensure that social media pages, personalized games, and AI chatbots were not avAIlable to children under the age of 13, and that all social media platforms should have evidence-based limits for features that are considered inappropriate for children of various ages.

The government was encouraged to strengthen the Online Safety Act to pressure online businesses to deliver age-appropriate experiences.Just as films and video games have different ratings indicating the danger they pose to children, social media platforms have different risks as well as their minimum age limits should reflect this.

Social media, according to NSPCC's head of strategy, could be

vital

for children and young people who are isolated for various reasons, or even neurodiverse,

according to Anna Edmundson.

It's also really important for peer support and access to trusted sources of advice and assistance, including Childline,

she told BBC Breakfast on Sunday.

No children aren't thrown off a cliff edge when they enter these spaces,

she said, the long-term solution would be to expand the oversight of social media businesses. Around 550,000 accounts had been blocked within the first few days of Australia's under-16s ban, according to Meta - which owns Facebook and Instagram. Teenagers expressed a variety of reactions to the ban, ranging from feeling liberated to having no effect on their online habits. Sir Keir said this week that he had been following Australia's ban and that all options are on the table for the UK. Badenoch defended her position to the BBC on Saturday after announcing her support for a ban last week.

It's clear that a large number of social media pages are not for children, and we don't encourage children to attend a nightclub,

says the author. Why are we encouraging them to go to places where the language is not appropriate for them?

The Lib Dems' plan, which is set to be discussed in the Lords, would see social media pages rated like age ratings for films. Under the scheme, websites with

introduced algorithmic feeds or hosting inappropriate content will be restricted to users aged over 16, while graphic violence or pornography will go adult-only. If you're affected by the issues discussed in this , please contact BBBC Action Line for assistance and assistance.