Media Coverage

Ellen Roome interviewed on LBC.

Ellen Roome interviewed on The Times Radio.

Ellen Roome interviewed on Sky News.

Ellen Roome interviwed on GB News.

Ellen Roome interviewed on BBC Breakfast.

Ellen Roome interviewed on ITV News.

Ellen Roome interviewed on BBC Radio 4.

LBC interview featuring Ellen Roome MBE and Lauren Cowell discussing the growing harms social media platforms pose to children and young people. The discussion explored the impact of addictive algorithms, exposure to harmful content, online grooming, and the urgent need for stronger protections, including raising the minimum age for social media use to 16. Ellen spoke about her campaign following the death of her son Jools Sweeney and the fight for greater accountability and transparency from technology companies, while Lauren Cowell shared concerns around the wider impact of social media on children’s mental health, safety, and development.

SKY News interview featuring Ellen Roome MBE and Lauren Cowell discussing the growing harms social media platforms pose to children and young people. The discussion explored the impact of addictive algorithms, exposure to harmful content, online grooming, and the urgent need for stronger protections, including raising the minimum age for social media use to 16. Ellen spoke about her campaign following the death of her son Jools Sweeney and the fight for greater accountability and transparency from technology companies, while Lauren Cowell shared concerns around the wider impact of social media on children’s mental health, safety, and development.

Ellen Roome interviewed on BBC Breakfast

Ellen Roome interviewed on 5 Live

Ellen Roome interviewed on ITV News.

Ellen Roome interviewed on LBC.

Ellen Roome interviewed on ITV News.

Ellen Roome interviewed on BBC Breakfast.

Ellen Roome interviewed on ITV Morning News.

Ellen Roome discussing social media and raising the age to 16

Following a landmark legal victory in Los Angeles against social media platforms, Ellen Roome and Andy Burrows from the Molly Rose Foundation discuss why this moment matters and why the UK must now act. These are some of the most powerful companies in the world, but as Ellen makes clear: “I’m not nervous, I’m not frightened. Bring it on.”

Ban social media for under 18s? Ellen Roome, Mike Parry & Zoë Grünewald

Ellen discussing social media ban

Tonight Ellen Roome appeared on ITV News across Anglia, Central, Meridian, Tyne Tees, West Country and Yorkshire, speaking about the urgent need to better protect children online. Ellen is supporting Lord Nash’s proposal to raise the minimum age for social media to 16. Children are being exposed to harmful content far too young, and we must take meaningful action to safeguard them. This is not about restricting childhood, it’s about protecting it. #joolslaw #onlinesafety #raisetheage #globalissue #protectchildren

Ellen Roome MBE appeared live on LBC for Online Safety Day, speaking about why she fully supports MPs voting in the House of Commons to #RaiseTheAge of social media to 16. Ellen’s 14-year-old son Jools died in 2022. Since then, she has been campaigning for change so that children are better protected online and families are able to get answers when tragedy strikes. During the interview, Ellen explained that children are being exposed to harmful content online every single day and that action cannot continue to be delayed while families live with the consequences. She also spoke about the ongoing wait for the Attorney General to approve her application to seek a fresh inquest into Jools’ death. If approved, Ellen will be able to apply to the High Court for a new inquest and use the Data Use and Access Act to request Jools’ social media data in order to understand what happened to her son. 🌐 https://www.joolslaw.co.uk #joolslaw #onlinesafety

An interview with Ross Moss, who lost her daughter Sophie 12 years ago, Hollie Dance, whose son Archie had his accident just six days before Jools, and Ellen Roome, whose son Jools died on 13 April 2022. More than a decade later, we are still having the same conversations about protecting children and accessing their social media data. Why are we still talking about it when children are being harmed and are dying? Only last weekend, Ellen was contacted by the mother of another boy, aged just 15, who had taken his own life. This has to stop!

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott holding news conference. The pair will discuss student loans and social media policy. #conservative #education #socialmedia #live SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel for more videos: http://www.youtube.com/skynews Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/skynews Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skynews Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skynews Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@skynews For more content go to http://news.sky.com and download our apps: Apple https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/sky-news/id316391924?mt=8 Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bskyb.skynews.android&hl=en_GB Sky News Daily podcast is available for free here: https://podfollow.com/skynewsdaily/ To enquire about licensing Sky News content, you can find more information here: https://news.sky.com/info/library-sales

Ellen Roome appears on BBC Breakfast to discuss the latest progress on Jools’ Law. Following confirmation from Liz Kendall, Secretary of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the Government has committed to introducing a Jools’ Law amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill. The amendment will require social media companies to automatically preserve a child’s social media data within five days of their death, removing barriers for bereaved families seeking answers. This is a vital step forward for transparency and accountability online, ensuring that no grieving parent has to fight simply to access the information that may explain what happened to their child.

Ellen Roome discusses changes to the law following a phone call with Liz Kendall, Secretary of State, confirming the Government’s commitment to incorporate Jools’ Law into legislation.

Ellen Roome appears on GMB to discuss the latest progress on Jools’ Law. Following confirmation from Liz Kendall, Secretary of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the Government has committed to introducing a Jools’ Law amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill. The amendment will require social media companies to automatically preserve a child’s social media data within five days of their death, removing barriers for bereaved families seeking answers. This is a vital step forward for transparency and accountability online, ensuring that no grieving parent has to fight simply to access the information that may explain what happened to their child.

Ellen Roome discusses the latest progress on Jools’ Law. Following confirmation from Liz Kendall, Secretary of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the Government has committed to introducing a Jools’ Law amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill. The amendment will require social media companies to automatically preserve a child’s social media data within five days of their death, removing barriers for bereaved families seeking answers. This is a vital step forward for transparency and accountability online, ensuring that no grieving parent has to fight simply to access the information that may explain what happened to their child.

Ellen Roome talking to ITV West Country 16th Feb 2026 regarding Government decision to include automatic data preservation when a child dies in the Crime and Policing bill.

13th Feb 2026 I had the honour of speaking at the Lost Screen Memorial, part of the #NoChildLostToSocialMedia campaign launched by Archewell Foundation, founded by Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, to protect children from online harms such as bullying, sexual exploitation and dangerous viral challenges. The memorial stood in Gloria Molina Grand Park, directly across from Los Angeles City Hall and just one block from the courthouse where the landmark social media addiction trials have begun. Fifty illuminated smartphones stood in the park. Fifty children. Fifty lives cut short. Jools is one of them. To see his face shining from one of those screens, in the shadow of the courtroom where families are demanding accountability, was overwhelming. The memorial was spearheaded by Archewell Foundation and supported by ParentsTogether Action and Heat Initiative. It is about humanising what has too often been reduced to statistics. I spoke alongside extraordinary voices including • @jonathanhaidt , author of The Anxious Generation • Sarah Gardner, CEO of Heat Initiative • James Holt from Archewell Foundation • Shelby Knox, Director of Tech Accountability Campaigns at ParentsTogether Action • Lennon Torres, youth LGBTQ+ advocate and Campaigns and Programs Manager at Heat Initiative And most importantly, brave parents who have turned unimaginable grief into action. More than 2,000 plaintiffs are now taking on companies including Meta, Snap Inc., TikTok and Alphabet Inc.. This litigation is already being compared to the cases that changed the course of Big Tobacco. As I said yesterday: since Jools died, social media companies have refused to provide Jools’ full online data about what happened to my son. But here in Los Angeles, his light is shining. And it is shining on a movement that will not stop until there is accountability and change. These are not numbers. They are children. And this does not have to be this way.

Live on Good Morning Britain this morning in the UK Talking about the lawsuit in Los Angeles and why this fight matters so much. I also discussed meeting Harry, the Duke of Sussex, and how I am determined to change the law so no other family is left without answers when a child dies. My words "I'm going to do this, I am going to change the law"!

Parents share their stories of loss outside Snapchat offices in Santa Monica, as they paint the names of children who have died from what they say are harmful social media practices. For video licensing inquiries, contact: licensing@veritone.com

Grieving families gathered outside of social media app Snapchat's headquarters in Los Angeles to protest and remember the lives of their lost children.

Ellen spoke about why she is in Los Angeles, standing alongside other bereaved parents as the landmark case against social media companies unfolds. We cannot ignore what is happening in that courtroom. The BBC also shared a clip from our meeting with Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, who took time to listen to families like mine and understand the urgent need for change. And today, Adam Mosseri, Instagram's CEO, was in the LA court. These companies are finally being asked difficult questions about how their platforms impact children. This is about truth, transparency, and protecting the next generation.

Live from Santa Monica, we spoke with Sky News as a landmark trial begins in California against major social media companies. The case has been brought by American families who have lost their children. Families who were never warned about online harms, never protected by the platforms their children used, and never given full access to the truth after their deaths. We are here to stand in solidarity with bereaved parents and to make clear that this is not just a US issue or a UK issue. It is a global crisis. The same social media platforms, algorithms, and design choices are affecting children all over the world. This trial matters far beyond the courtroom. It is about accountability, transparency, and whether social media companies can continue to avoid responsibility for the harm caused to children. Parents across the world are watching. And we will not stop asking difficult questions. Thank you to Sky News for giving families a voice and helping shine a light on why this moment matters. #OnlineSafety #ProtectChildren #SocialMediaAccountability #BereavedFamilies #GlobalIssue #StandingTogether #joolslaw

In the House of Lords, the formidable Baroness Beeban Kidron debated what I have come to call Jools’ Law. It was an incredibly powerful and emotional debate, made even more so by the strong, compassionate and supportive contributions from peers across all parties. In particular, the passionate and deeply thoughtful support from Baroness Barran, Lord Clement-Jones, Baroness Benjamin and Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson meant more than I can say. Up in the gallery, bereaved parents (Hollie Dance, Lisa Kenevan & Mariano Janin and I) sat watching in tears, for the first time feeling real hope that this amendment might actually go through. One moment that will stay with me forever was when Baroness Kidron said: “The Government awarded Ellen Roome an MBE recently. I believe, although I have not asked her, that a more fitting recognition would be to give her what she has long fought for, Jools’ Law, by accepting these amendments so that data collection is automatic. They are practical, they are necessary, and they are long overdue.” Baroness Benjamin spoke with enormous compassion and urgency, saying: “After hearing on BBC News this morning some of the heartbreaking stories from bereaved parents who are campaigning on this issue and urging the Government to take more robust action, I was convinced that tragic cases such as these clearly highlight the need for social media companies to be compelled to protect our children and safeguard them from harm......I hope the Government are listening and is Ofcom listening? I want them to listen to these bereaved parents and take further action. I urge the Government to accept these much-needed amendments and act now.” Baroness Diana Barran also paid tribute, saying: “I pay particular tribute to Ellen Roome, mother of Jools, who died inexplicably aged 14. Ellen Roome has found herself at the front of a national call for change in relation to children’s access to social media in general and to these specific issues, which have impacted her family and other families so cruelly. My noble friend Lady Morgan of Cotes, who cannot be with us today, told me how moved she was when we met Ellen recently. I can only agree.” The Minister, Baroness Levitt, does not currently support approving the amendment, citing concerns about administrative burden in cases such as road traffic accidents or illness. However, she has agreed to meet with Beeban, me, and other bereaved parents to discuss this further. Beeban was clear that by the voting stage, likely around April 2026, there is a real opportunity to persuade the House of Lords to pass this amendment and that she wasn't taking no for an answer!!

Sky News regarding upcoming Jools Law Debate in the House of Lords

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.

BBC follow Ellen Roome and other bereaved parents, to hand delivered a letter to Downing Street calling for stronger enforcement of the Online Safety Act. The letter raises serious concerns about whether Ofcom is actually able to enforce the law, collect fines from tech companies, respond to emerging harms such as AI, and be transparent and accountable when children are being harmed online. Laws only protect children if they are properly enforced. We should not have to fight this hard just to make the system work and protect children. We keep going. For your children, because it’s too late for ours. 🕊️ hashtag#socialmedia hashtag#joolslaw hashtag#OnlineSafety

Ellen Roome & Esther Ghey on Laura Kuenssberg Show with Jonathan Haidt Jonathan Haidt, one of the world’s leading experts on social media and children’s mental health, says it plainly: “this is bonkers”. We need to change the age limit for social media. It should be 16. We cannot keep ignoring the evidence while children are being harmed. It’s time for action, not excuses.

Ellen Roome appeared on Sky News ahead of the House of Lords debate on Lord Nash’s amendment to raise the minimum age for social media to 16. This is not about preventing children from using the internet, learning, or accessing positive and supportive resources. It is about recognising that today’s social media platforms are not designed with children’s wellbeing at their core, but to maximise engagement, often at significant cost. Until platforms are genuinely safe, there is a clear responsibility to protect children.

Ellen talks to viewers about TikTok and banning social media

This is my interview with the BBC Breakfast team today. One of the most crucial things to come out of this discussion is the misunderstanding around raising the age of social media to 16. This does not mean stopping children from accessing the internet or valuable, supportive sites like the NSPCC.  What we are saying is simple: increase the age of social media so children are not being subjected to harmful content on platforms that are built to addict them, damaging their mental health, eyesight and physical posture through addictive and dangerous social media apps. #BBCBreakfast #OnlineSafety #RaiseTheAge #joolslaw

Five families who are suing TikTok in America over the deaths of their children have begun an agonising wait to see if their case will be taken to trial following a hearing in Delaware on Friday. The parents of 14-year-old Jools Sweeney, 13-year-old Isaac Kenevan, 11-year-old Noah Gibson, 12-year-old Archie Battersbee and 13-year-old Maia Walsh believe their children died whilst trying an online challenge that was the result of addictive programming aimed at driving engagement to the social media site. A spokesperson for TikTok told ITV News: 'Our deepest sympathies remain with these families. We strictly prohibit content that promotes or encourages dangerous behaviour.' 'Using robust detection systems and dedicated enforcement teams to proactively identify and remove this content, we remove 99% that's found to break these rules before it is reported to us.' Hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls are  joined by Jools' mum Ellen, Isaac's mum Lisa, Noah's mum Louise and Archie's mum Hollie. Broadcast on 19/01/2026. Stream Good Morning Britain live, every weekday from 6am on the ITVX 📲 http://daytimelink.itv.com/WatchGMBYT Subscribe now for more! http://bit.ly/1NbomQa Like, follow and subscribe to Good Morning Britain! The Good Morning Britain YouTube channel delivers you the news that you’re waking up to in the morning. From exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in politics and showbiz to heartwarming human interest stories and unmissable watch again moments. Join Susanna Reid, Ed Balls, Kate Garraway, Richard Madeley, Charlotte Hawkins and Sean Fletcher every weekday on ITV from 6am until 9 every weekday! ITVX: http://daytimelink.itv.com/WatchGMBYT Website: http://bit.ly/1GsZuha YouTube: http://bit.ly/1Ecy0g1 Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1HEDRMb Twitter: http://bit.ly/1xdLqU3 http://www.itv.com #tiktok #uk #usa

A mother who is one of a group of British parents suing TikTok after the deaths of their children said she wants "accountability" from the social media firm. Ellen Roome is in the US for the first day of the hearing, filed by the Social Media Victims Law Centre. "It's about time we held them to account and said 'what are you showing our children?'" she said. The lawsuit claims her son Julian "Jools" Sweeney, Isaac Kenevan, Archie Battersbee, Noah Gibson, and Maia Walsh all died while attempting a "blackout challenge". A TikTok spokesperson said: "We strictly prohibit content that promotes or encourages dangerous behaviour." Subscribe here: http://bit.ly/1rbfUog For more news, analysis and features visit: www.bbc.com/news #TikTok #BBCNews

British families sue TikTok in US Underscoring the tensions, a US state judge in Delaware on Jan. 16, 2026 hears TikTok's bid to dismiss a lawsuit filed last year by the parents of five British children who died while allegedly performing prank and challenge videos. The lawsuit alleged that TikTok's algorithms promoted dangerous content to children, including a so-called 'blackout challenge' that encouraged people to choke themselves. 'ByteDance harmed these children after its leadership knew that its programming decisions were resulting in the accidental deaths of children,' the lawsuit filed in the Delaware Superior Court said. Some of the children were below 13 years old. TikTok in 2022 secured the dismissal of a separate lawsuit accusing it of causing the death of a 10-year-old girl. STRINGR.COM / ABC AFFILIATE WPVI VIA REUTERS Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe Visit our website at [https://www.manilatimes.net](https://www.manilatimes.net/) Follow us: Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital Check out our Podcasts: Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcher Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein #TheManilaTimes #WorldNews

Delaware Superior Court Jan 16, 2026 heard TikTok/ByteDance motion to dismiss lawsuit from 5 British families (Ellen Roome, Lisa Kenevan, Liam Walsh et al) claiming algorithms promoted deadly "blackout challenge" killing their kids under 13. Parents seek children's data (discovery phase if motion fails); TikTok cites 1st Amendment/CDA immunity, claims UK jurisdiction. Case could force data release if survives dismissal. #TikTokBlackoutChallenge #ChildDeathsTikTok #AlgorithmMurder #BereavedParents #SocialMediaKills #ByteDanceLawsuit #DelawareHearing #KidsNotContent #PlatformLiability #JoolsLaw --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dawn News English is your window into the latest news, insight, and features from South Asia and beyond. Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dawndotcom/ Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/dawn_com Website: www.dawn.com Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawnnewsenglish #news #latestnews #dawnnewsenglish #dawnnews

► Five British families are taking TikTok to court in the US, over the deaths of their children: Jools Sweeney, Maia Walsh, Isaac Kenevan, Archie Battersbee and Noah Gibson. Their parents say they all died after watching harmful content on the app. ► Have you subscribed to 5 News?: http://bit.ly/5NewsSub ► Follow 5 News on Twitter to keep up to date with the latest news - https://twitter.com/5_News Message us on Facebook to share your opinion - https://www.facebook.com/c5News See our latest pictures and videos on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/c5news/ ► About 5 News: We bring you the stories that matter to you, from around the world and across the UK. 🎥 We post daily playlists with the biggest news of the day, interviews, special reports and investigations. 📺 Catch us on TV on Channel 5 every weekday 5-6pm 📱 Get in touch with us on WhatsApp at +44 7555 500 501 🎧 Listen to "How Did We Get Here? Explaining The News" wherever you get your podcasts: https://podfollow.com/how-did-we-get-here-explaining-the-news Our flagship, hour-long programme at 5pm is watched on Channel 5 by up to a million viewers, with regular news updates throughout the day. ITN changed the TV news landscape when it launched 5 News in 1997, producing Five News for nine years before winning the contract to supply news to Channel 5 again from 2012.