Bereaved mum's social media battle to be debated by MPs
Ellen RoomeThe mum of a boy who took his own life said it is “fantastic news” that a petition in his memory will be debated by MPs.
Ellen Roome, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, found her son Jools Sweeney, 14, unconscious in his room in April 2022, and believes he may have taken part in an online challenge that went wrong.
She has been campaigning for ‘Jools Law’, which would allow parents to access the social media accounts of their children if they die.
“It's horrible to spend my life not knowing why my son took his life,” she said.
At Jools' inquest, the coroner said it was unlikely he intended to take his own life but the exact events leading up to his death were unclear.
Ms Roome said she started the petition after being told by social media companies that she would need a court order to access her son’s online data.
Ellen Roome“I just feel it’s morally wrong that as a parent you’ve got a minor signing up for terms and conditions on social media, and as a parent we have no right to see that data,” she said.
“That data could hold answers to why my son is no longer here," she told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.
Ms Roome said the reality of losing a child "is horrific".
"I’m pretty strong and I’m not giving up but there are days where I’m really not a strong person," she said.
"My son’s not here, there are days when I don’t want to get out of bed, there are days I can’t even move.
"There have been thousands of people contacting me, willing me to get the results, this has been massive."
About 126,000 people signed her petition in ten days, she said.
Ms Roome now hopes she can speak in Parliament when the petition is discussed by MPs on 13 January.
"I don't know if I'm allowed, but if not then I'm relying on the MPs and the committee to debate whether or not that should go through.
"If it does I think it would open the door to a whole load of parents that want their children's data," she added.
What has social media companies said?
Social media platforms TikTok and Snapchat have been in touch with Ms Roome following her contact with them.
A spokesperson from Snapchat previously said: “Our hearts go out to Ms Roome and her family for the loss of Jools.
"We have extra protections for under 18s and offer parental tools so parents can see who their teens are communicating with and report any concerns."
The spokesperson added they are able to provide parents with access to data, "once we have followed legal steps to verify their identification".
A spokesperson for TikTok previously said the company has removed 99% of videos showing or promoting dangerous content before it is reported by a user.
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