‘We owe our children’: Grieving parents say social media costs lives

The mother of a 14-year-old who died after what she believes could have been an online challenge says it’s “wrong” she can’t access some of his social media accounts without a court order.

Ellen Roome says her son Jools Sweeney, 14, was “a happy, regular, normal child” before he died.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Roome says there is still some uncertainty around her son’s death.

“We don’t know why he did what he did. The coroner didn’t rule that it was suicide because they couldn’t prove he was in a suicidal mood,” she says.

Ellen says she has tried to access his social media, including his TikTok account but the company has denied her request.

“TikTok have just said no – without a court order you can’t do that.”

Ellen, along with other families who make up Bereaved Parents for Online Safety group, are campaigning for the right to allow families and coroners to access data from tech companies.

Most of the tech companies contacted by the BBC have declined to respond to the draft measures announced by Ofcom today.