Esther Ghey and Ian Russell are two parents who have experienced the loss of their children in tragic and public circumstances, and they are joining forces to help protect teenagers online. Esther’s daughter Brianna, who was transgender, was murdered one year ago this week and Ian lost his 14-year-old daughter Molly after she took her own life six years ago. Their children’s deaths had different causes, but they share the same recurring theme: social media. Both parents were unaware of the dark and harmful content their children were exposed to online until it was too late.
During their first meeting on Thursday, Esther and Ian spoke about how they can raise awareness and push for change to prevent other parents from going through the same thing they have. Ian has been campaigning for social media companies to take more responsibility for the content they allow and promote on their platforms, especially for vulnerable teenagers. He says that in his five years of campaigning, he has come across other parents who have also lost children due to online harms, and while the stories are unique, there are clear overlaps in how social media has contributed to their children’s distress and vulnerability.
Esther believes that there is a lack of awareness among parents about the kind of content their children are exposed to online. She says that many parents do not access this kind of content and are not even aware that it exists. Both parents agree that social media companies need to do more to monitor and remove harmful content, and they hope that by working together, they can be a stronger voice for change.
Despite the tragic circumstances that have brought them together, both Esther and Ian are determined to focus on the good times that their children had in their lives and celebrate their memories, rather than just the circumstances of their deaths. They are both aware that their work is far from over and that it will be a long and challenging journey, but they are committed to making a difference and helping to protect teenagers from online harms
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