Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

UK Teen Girl Died After "Negative Effects Of Online Content"

UK Teen Girl Died After "Negative Effects Of Online Content"

Molly Russell was "exposed to material that may have influenced her in a negative way and, in addition, what had started as a depression had become a more serious depressive illness," Andrew Walker ruled at North London Coroner's Court.

A 14-year-old British girl died from an act of self-harm while suffering from the "negative effects of online content", a coroner said Friday, in a case that has shone a spotlight on social media companies.

Molly Russell was "exposed to material that may have influenced her in a negative way and, in addition, what had started as a depression had become a more serious depressive illness," Andrew Walker ruled at North London Coroner's Court.

The teenager "died from an act of self-harm while suffering depression", he said, but added it would not be "safe" to conclude it was suicide.

Some of the content she viewed was "particularly graphic" and "normalised her condition," said Walker.

Of the 16,300 posts Russell saved, shared or liked on Instagram in the six-month period before her death, 2,100 related to depression, self-harm or suicide, the inquest was told.

Russell, from Harrow in northwest London, died in November 2017, leading her family to set up a campaign highlighting the dangers of social media.

"Molly was a thoughtful, sweet-natured, caring, inquisitive, selfless, beautiful individual -- although a few words cannot possibly encapsulate our wonderful girl," her father Ian said in a statement.

"We have heard a senior Meta (Instagram parent company) executive describe this deadly stream of content the platform's algorithms pushed to Molly as 'safe' and not contravening the platform's policies.

"If this demented trail of life-sucking content was safe, my daughter Molly would probably still be alive and instead of being a bereaved family of four, there would be five of us looking forward to a life full of purpose and promise that lay ahead for our adorable Molly.

"It's time the toxic corporate culture at the heart of the world's biggest social media platform changed," he urged.

Silicon Valley 'shockwaves'


The week-long hearing became heated when the family's lawyer, Oliver Sanders, took a Meta executive to task.

A visibly angry Sanders asked Elizabeth Lagone, the head of health and wellbeing at Meta, why the platform allowed children to use it when it was "allowing people to put potentially harmful content on it".

"You are not a parent, you are just a business in America. You have no right to do that. The children who are opening these accounts don't have the capacity to consent to this," he said.

Lagone apologised after being shown footage, viewed by Russell, that "violated our policies".

In a statement issued following the ruling, a spokeswoman for Meta said: "Our thoughts are with the Russell family and everyone who has been affected by this tragic death.

"We'll continue our work with the world's leading independent experts to help ensure that the changes we make offer the best possible protection and support for teens," she added.

Children's charity NSPCC said the ruling "must be a turning point", stressing that any delay to a government bill dealing with online safety "would be inconceivable to parents".

"Tech companies must be held accountable when they don't make children's safety a priority," tweeted the charity.

NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless said the ruling should "send shockwaves through Silicon Valley".

"The magnitude of this moment for children everywhere cannot be understated," he added.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
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
×