An Edinburgh mum whose daughter died by suicide has called for tech companies to be held legally responsible for stopping children being harmed by social media
An Edinburgh mum has spoken out about big tech companies after her daughter’s suicide.
Warning: People may find the content of this article distressing
An Edinburgh nurse is calling for big tech companies to be held legally responsible for stopping children being harmed by social media after her daughter died by suicide.
Ruth Moss lost her 13-year-old daughter Sophie after viewing suicidal and self-harm posts on social media.
She explained: “As far as I’m concerned, where companies wilfully break the law and put the lives of children like my daughter at risk, of course senior managers should be criminally accountable. The consequences of non- compliance are life changing for children like Sophie.
“Criminal liability drives the right behaviours in those with the most responsibility. It works in other industries and there is no reason in my mind as to why big tech executives should be treated any differently.”
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) has recently conducted a poll which shows that four out of five (84%) adults in Scotland want senior tech managers to be appointed and held legally responsible for stopping children being harmed by social media.
The charity has said the findings show public support for tougher enforcement measures in the UK Government’s Online Safety Bill.
They say that “currently, the legislation would only hold tech bosses responsible for failing to give information to the regulator Ofcom, and not for corporate decisions that result in preventable harm or sexual abuse.”
Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC Chief Executive, said: “2022 was the year the Online Safety Bill faced delay after delay while children faced sexual abuse on an industrial scale and tech bosses sat on their hands as their algorithms continued to bombard young users with hugely dangerous material.
“This year must be the year legislation delivers the systemic change for children online that our polling shows families up and down the UK want.
“The Government can do this by delivering bold, world-leading regulation that ensures the buck stops with senior management for the safety of our children.”
For anyone who needs to reach out, mental health charity Samaritans can be called 24 hours a day on 116 123.