Social media ban may take teens to 'darker places'

The mother of a teenager who took his own life because of online bullying has criticised a proposed under-16s social media ban.

It comes after the government launched a consultation on banning social media for under 16s in the UK as a part of a series of measures which it said were intended to "protect young people's wellbeing."

Lucy Alexander's son Felix, 17, was subjected to "cruel and overwhelming" taunts on social media from the age of 10.

Alexander, from Worcester, said: "I can't say that the issue is black and white, really. I don't think a ban is necessarily the right way to go."

She added: "I think it will create a bit of a vacuum that under 16 year olds will seek to fill and that could take them to darker places.

"Also, I think it stops social media companies and tech companies taking responsibility for what's happening now.

"And your vulnerabilities don't stop at 16. A 16-year-old will then come back onto a platform which still hasn't addressed its safety issues."

Alexander said rather than a ban, the emphasis "needs to be on social media responsibility" so that companies responsible for social media platforms "clean up" their product.

Discussions over a potential ban have become more prevalent after the world's first social media ban for young people took effect in Australia in December.

Some experts and children's charities have cautioned against the idea - but it has strong backing elsewhere.

On Sunday, more than 60 Labour MPs wrote to the prime minister saying the backed a ban, with the mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey also calling on the government to act.

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