Mum seeking answers over son’s death says social media firms ‘don’t give a damn’

Cheltenham: Ellen Roome, 48, is heartbroken over the loss of her 14-year-old son, Jools Sweeney, who died in April 2022. She suspects it might have been linked to an online challenge.

Ellen feels that Jools’s social media accounts could provide crucial insights into what happened. But the big tech companies are making it tough for her. They say she needs a court order to access his accounts, which is just adding to her pain.

She’s been pushing for something called “Jools’ Law,” which would let parents see their kids’ online activities after they pass away. This issue is set to be discussed in Parliament soon, which gives her a glimmer of hope.

Ellen is particularly focused on Jools’s Instagram and TikTok accounts. He loved doing challenges that were popular on those platforms. When she reached out to the companies, she felt completely ignored.

“They don’t care at all,” she said. “They hide behind privacy rules, but they could easily redact personal info.” All she wants is to know if something bad happened online, like bullying or blackmail.

Jools was found unconscious in his room, and while a coroner ruled it a suicide, they couldn’t confirm if he was feeling suicidal beforehand. Ellen is left with so many questions.

Instagram shared some of Jools’s contacts but wouldn’t give her access to messages. TikTok claimed they deleted his data as required by law, which left her feeling lost.

A petition she started has gained over 126,000 signatures, showing just how many people support her cause. As she prepares for the debate in Parliament, she hopes lawmakers will understand her pain.

Ellen shared, “If they lost a child, they’d be doing the same thing I am—searching for answers.” The grief is overwhelming, especially during the holidays.

She’s determined to prevent this from happening to another family. TikTok mentioned that they could have preserved data if the police had requested it sooner, but that didn’t happen.

Instagram hasn’t commented yet, but Ellen is still fighting for the truth. She just wants to know what really happened to her son.