Dad of teen who took own life issues plea amid Australia social media ban fears

Dad of teen who took own life issues plea amid Australia social media ban fearsIan Russell, whose 14-year-old daughter Molly took her own life in 2017 due to social media harms, told Keir Starmer the 'cost is too high to get this wrong'CommentsNewsSophie Huskisson Political Correspondent00:01, 13 Apr 2026View 2 ImagesMolly Russell took her own life in 2017 due to social media harms(Image: PA)The dad of Molly Russell has warned Keir Starmer not to rush into a social media ban amid new polling that shows a majority of children in Australia are still accessing sites despite restrictions.‌Ian Russell, whose 14-year-old daughter took her own life in 2017 due to social media harms, told the PM the “cost is too high to get this wrong” as he urged him to ensure any action to improve online safety in the UK is evidence-led.‌Australia banned access to social media for under 16s in December, yet new polling shows three in five (61%) Australian 12 to 15 year-olds still have access to one or more accounts on restricted platforms.‌The survey showed major social media firms have retained a majority of their child users, with 53% of previous TikTok users, 53% of YouTube users and 52% of Instagram users still able to access an account on these sites.READ MORE: Students' racist and misogynistic behaviour exposed as extreme online content fears growView 2 ImagesIan Russell, Molly's dad, told the PM the “cost is too high to get this wrong” (Image: Daily Mirror)The first major polling of 1,050 children aged 12-15 was conducted by Molly Rose Foundation and YouthInsight, Australia’s largest online youth panel.‌MRF, set up in the name of Molly, warned the findings raise “major question marks” about the effectiveness of Australia’s social media ban. It said a ban risks offering parents a "false sense of safety" and is instead calling on the PM to commit to a new Online Safety Act in the King’s Speech.Mr Russell said: “Keir Starmer has the chance to make the UK...