‘It is too late, our boys have gone’: Grieving parents tell Ofcom to ‘step up’ over social media content
Social media platforms must do more to stop their algorithms from recommending harmful content to children, Ofcom has said.
The regulator has published its draft children’s safety codes of practice laying out the new standards it will expect tech giants to follow to protect children under the Online Safety Act.
But two mothers who believe their children died as a result of copying dangerous social media challenges say they feel “belittled” by Ofcom over its failure to listen to grieving parents.
Sky News has spoken to the mothers of Archie Battersbee, who died aged 12 after a “prank or experiment” went wrong at their home and Isaac Kenevan, 13, who is believed to have died after taking part in a choke challenge on social media.
Archie Battersbee died aged 12. Pic: Family handout/PA
“They should be listening to us as bereaved parents,” said Isaac’s mother Lisa.
“Ofcom have got the power, the policing, and we feel like we’ve been belittled, they’ve said certain things but there’s just no action at the moment.”
Archie’s mother Hollie said: “I’ve seen a handful of parents that are now going through what we’re going through and it’s heartbreaking… in a civilised society, this should not happen.”
When the government passed the Online Safety Act last October, it came with new enforcement powers for Ofcom.
Both Hollie and Lisa campaigned tirelessly to get the bill passed and both are frustrated by how painfully slow the process is proving to be.
Ms Kenevan said: “This law has been put in place but nothing has really changed, which is frustrating for us, it’s almost like an insult to us because we’ve put in so much work.
“It is too late, our boys have gone… but Ofcom should really step up and hold their feet to the fire… step in fast to stop the content being in there in the first place.”
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Taming algorithms
Ofcom’s draft code of conduct includes robust age checks, improved complaints procedures and a commitment from social media platforms to take action to tame algorithms which recommend harmful content to children.
Fail and they could in theory be fined 10% of their global turnover.
Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes told Sky News: “In less than a year, we will be able to enforce against these codes and what I’m saying to the tech industry today is don’t wait for that moment.
“Over the next few years, we will see that change and we are going to drive it forward with every possible tool that we’ve got.”
‘Big step change for the industry’
Ofcom denies excluding people from its consultations, insisting victim groups and bereaved families have been among the 15,000 children and 7,000 parents it has already spoken to.
Dame Melanie said: “Those families who’ve lost children through what’s happened to them online, we ask them please do carry on working with us.
“What we’re proposing today is such a big step change for the industry, please work with us and talk to us, so that we can get this right.”
For the parents of Archie and Isaac, ever-present is the dread over how many children remain at risk.
Ms Kenevan said: “While these laws are trying to be put in place unfortunately there are more and more children dying and that’s the most frustrating thing because we’re in a club that we don’t want to be in and we don’t want anyone else joining that club.”
Meanwhile, Brianna Ghey’s mother Esther has told Sky News that mobile phone companies must “take responsibility” for what children view online.
Esther Ghey has campaigned for greater regulation for mobile phone companies, as well as young people’s access to mindfulness therapies, since two teenagers – Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe – were jailed in February for 22 and 20 years respectively for the “exceptionally brutal” murder of 16-year-old Brianna in Warrington.
Ms Ghey said: “It would be great if we could have, at point of purchase, software that helps parents monitor what their children are doing.
“There is software out that can flag up concerning words and then that alerts the parents that the child is looking at self-harm images or searching on the extreme side of it, the things that Scarlett Jenkinson was searching.”
“The parent can then be responsible for their child and do something about it,” Ms Ghey said, who has started a petition in support of her campaign.
Watch the full interview with Esther Ghey on The UK Tonight on Sky News at 8pm on Wednesday.
The King has met survivors of last month’s Huntingdon train mass stabbing, during a special reception at Buckingham Palace.
He shook hands with train guard Samir Zitouni, who was seriously injured as he stepped in to protect passengers.
More than 10 people were hurt in the stabbing on the 6.25pm LNER service from Doncaster to London King’s Cross on 1 November, which diverted to Huntingdon.
The King greets the train’s driver, Andrew Johnson. Pic: PA
The monarch also met Andrew Johnson, who previously served in the Royal Navy, and was driving the service at the time of the attack.
He was praised by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for his quick thinking when he moved the train on to a slow line.
That decision allowed it to stop at Huntingdon station, leading to a quicker response time by emergency services and potentially saving lives.
Mr Zitouni was credited with saving multiple lives, but was left in a critical condition due to injuries he suffered in the attack.
Stephen Crean, a football fan who had been returning home after watching Nottingham Forest’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United, was also injured while fighting back to protect others during the incident.
Mr Crean said he would need plastic surgery following his injuries.
The monarch greets Stephen Crean and his wife Monludee Crean during the reception. Pic: PA
Amira Ostalski, a student who suddenly found herself in danger, said she ran into the buffet car where she picked up a metal tray to protect herself and her friend.
“I was honestly so petrified. I thought in that moment it was the last time I was ever going to be alive. I thought I was going to die,” she said.
Anthony Williams was charged with 10 counts of attempted murder, one count of actual bodily harm and one count of possession of a bladed article following the train attack.
He remains in custody pending further court hearings scheduled for next year.
A nine-year-old girl found dead in Weston-super-Mare has been named on the day police revealed a teenager had been charged with her murder.
Emergency services were called to Lime Close in the Somerset town at 6.09pm on Monday but Aria Thorpe was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said a 15-year-old boy had been charged with her murder and that a preliminary post-mortem found she died from a single stab wound.
The teenage boy – who can’t be named due to his age – will appear at Bristol Magistrates’ Court later today.
A police cordon remains in place as forensics officers continue their work.
Flowers and tributes have been left at the scene. Pic: PA
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Superintendent Jen Appleford, from Avon and Somerset Police, said the community was in shock and Aria’s family were being supported by police.
“It is impossible to adequately describe how traumatic the past 36 hours have been for them and we’d like to reiterate in the strongest possible terms their request for privacy,” she said.
Supt Appleford said police were working with local schools and other agencies to make sure support is available.
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