Molly Rose Russell: A father's drive for change
Molly Russell's dad Ian reflects on the life of his daughter and his campaign for online child safety, following an inquest into her death.
Molly Russell was 14 when, having seen images of self-harm on Instagram, she took her own life. What followed was an inquest where, for the first time in the UK, social media was named as a factor in the death of a child. The coroner said the images she viewed "shouldn't have been available for a child to see."
Throughout the inquest and during the campaign for tighter online regulation, there's been one clear and consistent voice. The voice of Molly's dad Ian. He said he was left feeling "numb" after the verdict was announced.
For the latest episode of 5 Minutes On, Ian Russell shares the memories of his daughter and his campaign for change with the Today programme's Amol Rajan.
Following the conclusion of the inquest, a spokeswoman for Meta - the company that owns Instagram - said the company was "committed to ensuring that Instagram is a positive experience for everyone, particularly teenagers"
Image credit: Russell family, PA
