A British mother who lost her son is calling on TikTok to take responsibility for the content shown to children, as she joins other families in a lawsuit against the social media platform.
Ellen Roome is one of several parents suing TikTok in the United States following the deaths of their children. She is attending the first day of a court hearing brought by the Social Media Victims Law Centre. Roome says the case is about holding tech companies accountable for the risks young users face online.
The lawsuit claims that five children died while attempting a blackout style challenge. Those named include Roome’s son Julian “Jools” Sweeney, Isaac Kenevan, Archie Battersbee, Noah Gibson, and Maia Walsh. Their families believe the content promoted on TikTok played a role in what happened.
TikTok has said it bans videos that encourage harmful behavior. However, the parents argue that such content still reaches children through the platform’s recommendation system.
Alongside the legal case, Roome is campaigning for a proposed law known as Jools’ Law. The legislation would allow parents to access their children’s social media accounts after their death. She says this access could help families understand what happened and prevent similar tragedies.
Roome has repeatedly asked TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, for access to her son’s account data. She believes this information could provide important answers about the events leading up to his death.
Roome explained that TikTok has asked the court to dismiss the case. Her legal team is opposing the request and says there is enough evidence for the case to continue.
Jools Sweeney was fourteen when he died at his home in Cheltenham in 2022. A coroner ruled out suicide and recorded a narrative verdict. His mother believes an online challenge went wrong.
Thirteen year old Isaac Kenevan from Basildon also died after reportedly taking part in a choking challenge. Maia Walsh, also thirteen, was found dead at her home in Hertfordshire in October 2022. An inquest will examine her use of TikTok.
Archie Battersbee, aged twelve, died in April 2022 after what a coroner described as a prank or experiment. Although his mother believed it was linked to an online challenge, no evidence confirmed this.
In October, another family joined the lawsuit. Louise Gibson from Worcestershire believes her eleven year old son Noah died in similar circumstances.
