Children 'afterthought' for social media companies

Date: 13th March 2019
Category: Special protection measures, Children in situations of exploitation

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England's Children's Commissioner, Anne Longfield, has raised concerns for regarding the wellbeing and safety of children using social media.

The tragic death of 14-year-old Molly Russell, who committed suicide after viewing disturbing images online, prompted the commissioner to write an open letter to several popular social media companies. The letter urges them to “back the introduction of a statutory duty of care” making the protection and wellbeing of all children a top priority.

Ms. Longfield also questions the company’s ability to control their own content and suggests that it is time they accept that there are problems and wants a commitment to tackling them. Several social media companies have responded to the commissioner’s letter and have stated that they will review their current procedures. For more information, read the full article here.