London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Social media: How can we protect its youngest users?

Social media: How can we protect its youngest users?

Children searching for content relating to depression and self-harm can be exposed to more of it by the recommendation engines built in to social networks.

Sophie Parkinson was just 13 when she took her own life. She had depression and suicidal thoughts.

Her mother, Ruth Moss, believes Sophie eventually took her own life because of the videos she had watched online.

Like many youngsters, Sophie was given a phone when she was 12.

Ruth recalls discovering soon after that Sophie had been using it to view inappropriate material online.


Sophie Parkinson, pictured here with her mum, killed herself six years ago aged 13


"The really hard bit for the family after Sophie's death was finding some really difficult imagery and guides to how she could take her own life," she says.

Almost 90% of 12 to 15-year-olds have a mobile phone, according to the communications watchdog Ofcom. And it estimates that three-quarters of those have a social media account.

The most popular apps restrict access to under-13s but many younger children sign up and the platforms do little to stop them.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) thinks the tech firms should be forced by law to think about the risks children face on their products.

"For over a decade, the children's safety has not been considered as part of the core business models by the big tech firms," says Andy Burrows, head of child safety online policy at the charity.

"The designs of the sites can push vulnerable young teenagers, who are looking at suicide or self-harm, to watch more of that type of content."

Recognise and remove


Recently, a video of a young man taking his own life was posted on Facebook.

The footage subsequently spread to other platforms, including TikTok, where it stayed online for days.

TikTok has acknowledged users would be better protected if social media providers worked more closely together.

But Ruth echoes the NSPCC's view and thinks social networks should not be allowed to police themselves.

She says some of the material her daughter accessed six years ago is still online, and typing certain words into Facebook or Instagram brings up the same imagery.

Facebook announced the expansion of an automated tool to recognise and remove self-harm and suicide content from Instagram earlier this week, but has said data privacy laws in Europe limit what it can do.

Other smaller start-ups are also trying to use technology to address the issue.

SafeToWatch is developing software that is trained by machine-learning techniques to block inappropriate scenes including violence and nudity in real-time.


SafeToWatch is designed to detect explicit photos


It analyses the context of any visual material and monitors the audio.

It suggest this provides a balanced way for parents to protect their children without intruding too deeply into their privacy.

"We never let parents see what the kid is doing, as we need to earn the trust of the child which is crucial to the cyber-safety process," explains founder Richard Pursey.

'Frank conversations'


Ruth suggests it's often easy to blame parents, adding that safety tech only helps in limited circumstances as children become more independent.

"Most parents can't know what exactly goes on their teenager's mobile phone and monitor what they have seen," she says.

And many experts agree that it is inevitable most children will encounter inappropriate content at some point, so they need to gain "digital resilience".

"Safety online should be taught in the same way as other skills that keep us safe in the physical world," explains Dr Linda Papadopoulos, a psychologist working with the Internet Matters safety non-profit.

"Parents should have frank conversations about the types of content kids might encounter online and teach them ways to protect themselves."

She says the average age children are exposed to pornography is 11. When this happens, she advises, parents should try to discuss the issues involved rather than confiscating the device used to view it.

"Take a pause before you react," she suggests.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×