Molly Russell inquest findings

Warning: this piece contains references to self-harm, a young person taking their own life, and child abuse online.

The  inquest findings into the death of Molly Russell released today, told she took her own life while suffering from depression and had interacted with harmful social media content. 

Unsafe online content contributed "in a more than minimal way" to the death of a girl who took her own life, an inquest has found.

Senior coroner, Andrew Walker said material viewed by 14-year-old Molly Russell on social media "shouldn't have been available for a child to see".

Mr Walker told North London Coroner's Court: "She died from an act of self-harm while suffering from depression and the negative effects of online content."

Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC CEO, said, "Tech companies must expect to be held to account when they put the safety of children second to commercial decisions. The magnitude of this moment for children everywhere cannot be understated."

Last year (2020/21) Childline delivered more than 73,000 counselling sessions about mental health, and in the same period there were 24,200 counselling sessions about suicidal thoughts or feelings.

Everyone has an important part to play in keeping children safe, and it's vital that tech companies are held accountable for children's online safety on their platforms.


Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC Chief Executive, said:

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“Finally Molly’s family have the answers they deserve thanks to their determination to see Meta and Pinterest questioned under oath about the part they played in their daughter and sister’s tragic death.

The ruling will send shockwaves through Silicon Valley  tech companies must expect to be held to account when they put the safety of children second to commercial decisions. The magnitude of this moment for children everywhere cannot be understated.

Molly’s family will forever pay the price of Meta and Pinterest’s abject failure to protect her from content no child should see, but the Online Safety Bill is a once in a generation opportunity to reverse this imbalance between families and Big Tech.

This must be a turning point and further delay or watering down of the legislation that addresses preventable abuse of our children would be inconceivable to parents across the UK.”