Ian Russell said ‘nothing’s changed’ in the seven years since his daughter Molly took her own life aged 14, in 2017, after viewing harmful content on social media.
The dad of Molly Russell said bereaved parents are “losing trust” in Technology Secretary Peter Kyle over the rollout of online safety laws.
Ian Russell said “nothing’s changed” in the seven years since his daughter Molly took her own life aged 14, in 2017, after viewing harmful content on social media. Campaigners have said the Online Safety Act is not strong enough and gives tech giants too much freedom to regulate themselves.
Media regulator Ofcom has also come under fire as it is still yet to start using its full powers under the Act despite it becoming law in October 2023. Mr Russell, who along with his family set up the Molly Rose Foundation in his daughter’s name after her death, told LBC: ‘”The Government haven’t really done anything. This is a really tough thing… Seven years down the road, I would say nothing’s changed, in my experience. Nothing of significance has changed. The sort of content that Molly saw, that a coroner concluded led to the end of her life, in a more than minimal way, is still easily available online.”
He said online safety campaigners have seen a lack of response from the Government over concerns the new laws do not go far enough to protect young people online, and as a result they are losing faith in the minister.
“I’m losing trust with Peter Kyle, and I know all the bereaved parents that I’ve connected with are losing trust,” Mr Russell said. “Some more than me. Some are really angry. We have met Peter. He was very quick to meet the bereaved families. Within the first week of forming a Government, we were in his office talking to him. It all sounded really hopeful.
“We’re now months into government, and we’re hearing things in the papers where it doesn’t sound like he’s even considering a strengthened Online Safety Act two, which we all agree is needed, and 85% of parents we surveyed this week think is needed. Yet in the press this week, Peter Kyle is saying that ‘mmm, that isn’t on my agenda’. Now, I hope that’s wrong. I hope he will clarify this and say otherwise. But at the moment, we’re really, really disappointed.”
Mr Kyle admitted the pace of implementing the Online Safety Act has been “so frustrating”. “It has taken seven years to get this legislation through the House and implemented. That is unacceptable,” he said.
The Cabinet minister said he would “legislate again” but will not do a second version of the Online Safety Act, as it took too long to get through Parliament. “I will do it swifter, more effectively, and smarter. We may have to get parliament used to updating it… maybe two or three times every Parliament to keep pace with change. I’m not going to wait seven years,” he said.
During the LBC interview, Mr Kyle was confronted by a caller who asked him why the government appears to be prioritising big tech and economic growth instead of children’s safety. It comes amid concerns the Government could be swayed by the return of Donald Trump, who has voiced his strong support and protection of US tech firms.
The US President has threatened the EU with retaliatory action for heavy fines against US tech firms, including Apple and Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram. Mr Kyle said the size of a tech company “has no bearing on how I approach this issue” and that safety is always his “starting point”.
But he added: “We do live in a different age where the issues that we’re talking about aren’t just generated from within Britain and within our territory. They are most often being generated from a foreign territory and overseas territory, and therefore it’s not always possible just for me to sit in Whitehall and legislate and regulate to get the companies to do what we need to do. So it also requires a degree of statecraft, of relationship building and also informing.”
Ofcom chief Dame Melanie Dawes defended the Online Safety Act, saying the “very ambitious” rules will help protect children. So, what the law does, is it says that content that’s illegal, so that’s things like terrorist material, also abusive images of children and so on, that must just not be allowed on platforms, and if anything gets through, it needs to be taken down quickly,” she said.
“But it’s also very clear that our under-18s deserve a very different experience than the one they’re getting now. So, no pornography, no suicide and self-harm material, and significant down ranking of things like violent content, misogyny, racist content, and so on. So, it’s a pretty broad, I should say, very ambitious, what the UK is trying to do here. No one should be under any illusions about that.”
Meanwhile, seven in ten Brits (70%) would support the introduction of cigarette packet-style warnings on social media platforms, according to a poll by More in Common.
What is the Online Safety Act?
The Online Safety Act (OSA) will require tech platforms to follow new Ofcom-issued codes of practice to keep users safe online. The Act gives new powers to media regulator Ofcom to punish services that are used for illegal activity such as child sexual abuse, inciting violence, selling illegal drugs or weapons or terrorism. The Act has also introduced new criminal offences including the encouragement of serious self-harm, cyber flashing or threatening communications. Platforms that break the rules could face fines of up to £18million or 10% of their global revenue – whichever is greater.
Why are campaigners unhappy with the Act?
The OSA was originally proposed by Theresa May in 2019 but it took years to become law due to political chaos and divisions over the scope of the bill. Campaigners were disappointed with the finished Act as key pledges had been dropped during the process of Parliamentary wrangling. A measure that would have forced big tech firms to remove “legal but harmful” material was among the promises to be axed.
Why are campaigners unhappy with Ofcom?
The OSA finally became law in October 2023 – and yet media regulator Ofcom has still not started using its new powers. Ofcom has been heavily criticised after undertaking painstakingly long consultations on updating its guidance. It has only just been publishing its new codes of practices in the last few months. The codes are now being assessed by tech firms and will also require approval from Parliament. Ofcom does not expect its child protection safety duties to become enforceable until at least summer(2025).
Can big tech firms be controlled?
The government has repeatedly insisted it will put safety at the heart of its plans and will not hesitate to slap hefty fines on tech giants who break the UK’s laws. But the return of Donald Trump – flanked by his right-hand man Twitter /X boss Elon Musk – has raised fears the UK will be less firm on Silicon Valley. Tech Secretary Peter Kyle said yesterday(MON) he has warned US tech firms it is a “privilege” not a right to operate in the UK and that safety is his priority. But he also admitted dealing with foreign businesses “requires a degree of statecraft, of relationship building”. Mr Trump has made clear he is firmly on the side of US tech giants and has fiercely attacked EU digital regulation. As the Labour government tries to keep Mr Trump on side – amid tense Ukraine-US peace talks – ministers may fear that now is not the time to annoy the erratic US President.
