Lawsuit against TikTok (updated 6th March 2026)

Image of Hollie Dance, Lisa Kenevan, Liam Walsh & Ellen Roome

The UK Parents Suing TikTok

We are the first UK parents to sue TikTok in the United States, bringing legal action in the state of Delaware following the deaths of our children.

We believe our children were exposed to extremely harmful content, which TikTok’s algorithms promoted and amplified. These cases raise serious questions about platform design, recommendation systems, and the duty of care owed to children.

Despite repeated and lawful requests, TikTok has refused to release our children’s online activity data. This data is vital to understanding what content our children were shown, how it was promoted to them, and whether the platform played a role in their deaths.

👉 You can [read the full complaint here].

Who Is Involved

The case now involves five British parents:

Ellen Roome
Lisa Kenevan
Hollie Dance
Liam Walsh
Louise Gibson

Together, we are standing up not only for our own children, Jools, Archie, Isaac, Maia, and Noah, but for every child and every family seeking truth. This case is about truth, transparency, and accountability.

We have specialist US lawyers - Social Media Victims Law Center. Their care, attention to detail, and relentless drive for answers have been invaluable to us and many other families seeking accountability from social media platforms.

Court Update: TikTok Hearing and Outcome - Delaware Motion to Dismiss Hearing

Our lawsuit against TikTok and its parent company ByteDance reached a crucial procedural stage on 16 January 2026 in Delaware, USA, when the court heard TikTok’s Motion to Dismiss.

This hearing was not about the evidence itself, but about whether TikTok could have the case thrown out before any evidence is examined. For us as parents, it was an extremely difficult and emotional day.

Sitting in a courtroom listening to abstract legal arguments about our children, while seeking answers about their deaths, was deeply painful. At the end of the hearing, the judge did not issue an immediate ruling. We are now awaiting (30-90 days) the court’s decision on whether the case will be dismissed or allowed to proceed. If the judge allows the case to continue, it will move into the Discovery phase. This is the stage at which TikTok could be legally required to disclose internal documents and our children’s online activity data, if that data has not already been deleted. This decision is pending. Whatever the outcome, we remain committed to pursuing truth, transparency, and accountability.

27 January 2026 - In the House of Lords, Baroness Berger raised the issue of litigation brought by bereaved British parents against TikTok following the deaths of their children. She asked what assessment the Government had made of the implications of this legal action. Responding for the Government, Baroness Lloyd of Effra acknowledged the case and expressed sympathy for the families. She stated that powers under the Online Safety Act have been commenced to require information from platforms about a child’s online activity following their death, and that a data preservation process has been established to prevent the loss of relevant information. Baroness Berger followed up by highlighting that parents, including Ellen Roome, have spent years trying to access their children’s social media data, only to find that crucial digital evidence is often not requested in the early period and is routinely deleted or lost. She urged the Government to introduce automatic digital data preservation in every child death so that these tragedies can be fully and properly investigated.

Why This Hearing Matters

The Motion to Dismiss is a critical gateway in the legal process.

If the case proceeds, TikTok may be compelled to hand over evidence about the content our children were shown and how its algorithm promoted or amplified it.
If the case is dismissed, we will carefully consider our legal options and continue to fight for answers through every available route.

This case is not just about our families. It raises serious questions about platform design, algorithmic amplification, and the duty of care owed by global technology companies to children.

Our Commitment

We continue this fight in loving memory of Jools, Archie, Isaac, Maia, and Noah, and for every child whose life has been affected by harmful online content.

This is about truth.
This is about accountability.
And this is about protecting children.

Following the Case

You can track the legal progress via Delaware’s CourtConnect system:

🔗 View the Civil Docket Report for Case N25C-02-073

This unofficial docket provides a real-time overview of court filings, motions, hearing dates, and rulings.