A group of British parents who are of the opinion that social media was a contributing factor to their children’s deaths have traveled to the United States to advocate for enhanced online safety measures for children.

Four families traveled to New York City to participate in a protest outside the offices of Meta, the company that owns Instagram and Facebook, alongside hundreds of others from the United States and Canada.

“We are merely requesting your assistance in safeguarding our children,” stated Mark Kenevan, the father of Isaac, who passed away at the age of 13 as a result of participating in a social media challenge.

Their visit coincides with the announcement by media regulator Ofcom that websites will be legally obligated to restrict children’s access to detrimental content starting in July in order to continue operating in the United Kingdom.

Websites will also be required to implement more stringent age verifications, as per the final children’s code of practice that was published on Thursday.

The four British families were monitored by BBC Breakfast during their mission in the United States.

The British parents strolled through the streets of New York City with American families. A few parents carried signs that read, “Meta profits, kids pay the price.”

Others held onto cherished framed photographs of their deceased offspring.

Lisa Kenevan, Isaac’s mother, stated that the families’ solidarity had provided each other with fortitude.

“We simply desire for the government to recognize that we are becoming more powerful, that our voices are becoming more assertive, and that we are not going away,” she stated.

Isaac perished in 2022 as a consequence of misadventure, according to a coroner’s ruling. However, the Kenevans contend that social media platforms were also responsible.

This year, they were among the numerous families who filed a wrongful death lawsuit against TikTok in the United States. The lawsuit accuses the platform of distributing hazardous hoax and challenge videos to children in order to increase engagement.

Maia Walsh’s family, who are involved in the litigation, also maintains that the 13-year-old perished as a result of injuries sustained during an online challenge. An inquest into her death will investigate her utilization of TikTok.

In an interview with BBC Breakfast, Liam Walsh, her father, expressed his satisfaction with the New York protest, stating, “I believe we are finally being acknowledged for the tragedy that befell our children. There is substance to it; it is not merely a case of desperate parents grasping at straws.”
“We are gradually disclosing the events that occurred to our children, and this is a component of that movement.”

TikTok has stated that it does not allow hazardous content or challenges on its platform and directs users who are searching for hashtags or videos to its safety center.

Meta, the company that controls Facebook and Instagram, has asserted that it is committed to ensuring the safety of adolescents online. It has recently implemented “teen accounts” that contain additional safeguards.

Meta stated in a statement that they are of the opinion that teenagers should be afforded consistent protections across all of the applications they utilize, not just our platforms.

Ellen Roome, a parent in New York, is among the parents who believe that her 14-year-old son Jools Sweeney passed away after an online challenge went awry in 2022. She believes that his social media accounts could provide the necessary evidence. An inquest into his demise determined that he committed suicide.

Ms. Roome, who is currently advocating for legislation that would allow parents to access their children’s social media accounts in the event of their death, stated, “[He was] just a normal, lovely boy. Not one moment in our life did we anticipate being in this situation… there was nothing that suggested there was a problem.”

“I am nearly tempted to inform parents that they are unaware of the content their children are viewing.”
“This is not for our children, as it is too late; rather, it is for them to engage in a conversation with their children about the content they are viewing and the images they are capturing.”

The BBC had previously contacted TikTok, X, Snapchat, Discord, and Meta, which is the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, to inquire about Ms. Roome’s situation.

Although none of them provided a formal response, a Snapchat spokesperson previously expressed their condolences to Ms. Roome and her family for Jools’ passing: “Our thoughts are with her and her family”
“We provide additional safeguards for individuals under the age of 18 and provide parental tools that enable parents to monitor the communication of their teenagers and report any concerns.”

A spokesperson for TikTok has also previously stated that the company had removed 99% of videos containing or promoting hazardous content prior to a user reporting it.

In addition, Lorin LaFave, the mother of 14-year-old Breck Bednar, was among the parents in New York. Bednar was groomed online while playing video games, which ultimately led to his death in 2014.

The online safety campaigner, who currently shares Breck’s story in schools through the Breck Foundation, expressed her desire for age restrictions: “I believe that children require an extended period of childhood.”

“They are being exposed to an excessive amount of adult content and adult relationships at an early age, and you are only a child once.”