Coroner Molly Russell challenges social media firms to help make the internet safer

The coroner overseeing the school inquiry Molly Russell challenged social media companies to help “make the internet a safer place”.

Andrew Walker made the remarks during a hearing ahead of a week-long inquest examining the circumstances of the 14-year-old’s death and whether the algorithms used by the social media giants to keep users connected may have contributed to her death.

Molly, from Harrow in north-west London, is known to have viewed material relating to anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide before taking her own life in November 2017, prompting her family to campaign for better safety on the internet.

At the end of a preliminary review of the inquest at Barnet Coroner’s Court on Monday, senior coroner Mr Walker said: “We will have to look at some solutions to the issues identified (in the inquest).

“And I would like everyone to turn their minds to how we make … the Internet a safer place for those who use it and how information can be better controlled.”

He added: “The sooner the parties turn their minds to this matter, the better solutions we could have in due course.”

The coroner sent his condolences to Molly’s family and, speaking to Molly’s father Ian Russell, who was in attendance, added: “It’s been a very long journey to this point but we can finally see a point end of this journey. .”

Mr Russell, who set up suicide prevention charity the Molly Rose Foundation after his daughter’s death, replied: “Thank you.”

Social media giant Facebook has now been granted ‘interested party’ (IP) status, which allows someone to ask questions of witnesses, receive copies of evidence and make observations to the coroner.

A pre-inquest review previously heard how a huge volume of “quite appalling” Instagram posts were revealed to the investigation by its parent company.

Another pre-inquest review has been listed for early next year, ahead of full hearings in April.

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