Molly Russell coroner calls for separate social media platforms for children and adults
Coroner report expresses concern that guardians and parents are unable to examine the content that youngsters are viewing on social media platforms
Tech firms and the government should introduce stronger age verification measures and isolate minors from adults on social media platforms, a UK coroner has recommended following an inquest into the death of teenager Molly Russell.
Senior coroner Andrew Walker said in a report [pdf] sent to the government and four social media firms - Meta, Pinterest, Twitter and Snapchat - that there should be a review of harmful online content, which should consider age-specific content, the use of algorithms, and advertising to children.
Mr Walker expressed his worry about the fact that guardians or parents are unable to examine the content that youngsters are viewing.
The "prevention of future deaths" report was released after Walker determined in September that Molly Russell killed herself in November 2017 as a result of what she had seen on social media.
The 14-year-old from Harrow, North London, ended her life after watching thousands of posts on self-harm, depression and suicide on platforms like Instagram and Pinterest. Some of those posts seen by Molly Russell were recommended to her by algorithms.
Mr Walker said she had died from "an act of self-harm whilst suffering from depression and the negative effects of online content".
In his latest report, the coroner recommends the government to review the provision of online platforms to children.
He said that as part of that evaluation, the social media companies and the government should consider
- separate sites for children and adults
- verifying a user's age prior to their platform registration
- offering age-appropriate material
- use of algorithms to offer content
- exposure of children to advertising
- control and oversight by parents or other adults, including access to a child's social media accounts
"I recommend that consideration is given to the setting up of an independent regulatory body to monitor online platform content," Walker said in his report.
Meta, Pinterest, Twitter and Snapchat have received notices
Instagram, Meta, Pinterest and the other two social media sites Molly used before her death —Snapchat and Twitter—have all received notices from the coroner.
Additionally, the report was sent to Michelle Donelan, the culture secretary, and Ofcom, the UK communications regulator in charge of enforcing the Online Safety Bill if and when it is passed.
Meta, Pinterest, Twitter and Snapchat must reply by 8 December with specifics of the measures they intend to take, or explain why they are not taking any action.
The coroner said that while any regulation "would be a matter for government, I can see no reason why the platforms themselves would not wish to give consideration to self-regulation".
Ian Russell, Molly's father, said he welcomed the coroner's report and urged social media companies to "heed the coroner's words and not drag their feet waiting for legislation and regulation".
"The government must also act urgently to put in place its robust regulation of social media platforms to ensure that children are protected by from the effects of harmful online content, and that platforms and their senior managers face strong sanctions if they fail to take action to curb the algorithmic amplification of destructive and extremely dangerous content or fail to remove it swiftly," Russell said.
"I hope this will be implemented swiftly through the Online Safety Bill which must be passed as soon as possible."