Bereaved Mother’s Social Media Access Campaign to be Debated by MPs

The mother of a boy who died by suicide has expressed that it is “fantastic news” that a petition created in his memory is scheduled for parliamentary debate. Ellen Roome, residing in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, discovered her 14-year-old son, Jools Sweeney, unconscious in his room in April 2022. She suspects he might have participated in an online challenge that had an adverse outcome. Ms. Roome has been advocating for ‘Jools Law’, a proposed measure that would grant parents access to their deceased children’s social media accounts. She stated, “It’s horrible to spend my life not knowing why my son took his life.” During Jools’ inquest, the coroner indicated that it was improbable he intended to end his own life, yet the precise circumstances preceding his death remained undefined. Ms. Roome explained that she initiated the petition after social media companies informed her that a court order would be necessary to obtain her son’s online data. She commented, “I just feel it’s morally wrong that as a parent you’ve got a minor signing up for terms and conditions on social media, and as a parent we have no right to see that data.” She further conveyed to BBC Radio Gloucestershire, “That data could hold answers to why my son is no longer here.” Ms. Roome described the experience of losing a child as “horrific”. She remarked, “I’m pretty strong and I’m not giving up but there are days where I’m really not a strong person.” “My son’s not here, there are days when I don’t want to get out of bed, there are days I can’t even move.” “There have been thousands of people contacting me, willing me to get the results, this has been massive.” She reported that approximately 126,000 individuals signed her petition within a ten-day period. Ms. Roome now expresses her hope to address Parliament when the petition is considered by MPs on 13 January. She stated, “I don’t know if I’m allowed, but if not then I’m relying on the MPs and the committee to debate whether or not that should go through.” She further added, “If it does I think it would open the door to a whole load of parents that want their children’s data.” Following her outreach, social media platforms TikTok and Snapchat have communicated with Ms. Roome. A Snapchat spokesperson previously commented: “Our hearts go out to Ms Roome and her family for the loss of Jools.” “We have extra protections for under 18s and offer parental tools so parents can see who their teens are communicating with and report any concerns.” The spokesperson also mentioned their ability to grant parents access to data, “once we have followed legal steps to verify their identification”. Previously, a TikTok spokesperson stated that the company removes 99% of videos displaying or encouraging dangerous content prior to user reports. For updates, follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding their external linking policy is available.