Parliament Hears Concerns Over Widespread Child Online Bullying

Concerns regarding children’s experiences with online bullying, exposure to harmful images, and location tracking have been presented to Parliament. The Labour Member of Parliament for Darlington, located in County Durham, advocated for stricter regulations on digital access and data following discussions with parents and young individuals who assert that “online bullying is rife”. Lola McEvoy informed her parliamentary colleagues that the safety of children online represents the “most defining issue of our time.” This discussion arises in the wake of advocacy efforts by Ellen Roome, a resident of Cheltenham, who holds the belief that social media contributed to the death of her 14-year-old son, Jools. In an interview with BBC Radio Tees, McEvoy described Ms Roome as “truly inspiring,” stating: “What Ellen’s been through is unimaginable for any parent, and anybody in the country. “But what’s special about her is she’s turned the worst pain into a campaign to fight for better for others and I think she’s remarkable.” Recalling the events concerning her son, Ms Roome recounted: “That day he’d been with friends, there had been nothing unusual, he’d eaten a pizza. “There was a video of him starting a fire pit, he said he used my nail varnish as he couldn’t start it and I told him to be careful and I’d be home in an hour. “I got home and found him unconscious.” She suspects he might have participated in an online challenge that resulted in an accident, yet she has encountered obstacles in obtaining access to his data. McEvoy is collaborating with educational institutions and parents to develop strategies for enhancing online safety, expressing that she is “horrified” by certain content to which young individuals are exposed. During the Westminster debate, she articulated her desire for restrictions on mobile phone usage in schools and for greater regulation concerning the age of consent for digital data utilization. Furthermore, the MP is advocating for parents to be granted access to the social media profiles of their deceased children without the prerequisite of a court order. Feryal Clark, who serves as the minister for AI and Digital, stated that the government’s primary focus is the “effective implementation” of the recently enacted Online Safety Act, ensuring that “those who use social media can benefit from its wider protections.” Individuals impacted by the subjects discussed in this report are encouraged to consult the BBC Action Line. For updates, follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. Story submissions can be sent to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.