Ep 02: 'Instagram helped kill my daughter' - Ian Russell holds tech giants to account

The Resilience Files: Human Stories of Struggle and Triumph

Our guest today Ian Russell, the leading campaigner for online safety for children.

Ian set up the Molly Rose foundation in 2017 after his beloved daughter Molly tragically took her own life. Molly, who was only fourteen-years-old at the time, had been constantly bombarded by social media algorithms consisting of harmful and horrifying content. Completely unbeknownst to her family, Molly had been sucked into a virtual world that glorified self-harm and suicide.

While trying to come to terms with the tragic loss of Molly, Ian decided to investigate how this tragedy could have occurred. His persistence led him to the realisation that some of the world largest technology and social media companies had to be held to account.

If you or your family engage with social media, this is a conversation that you need to hear. As Ian asks; “If we don't understand this new space we are co-living in, how can we use it responsibly and safely?”

0:00 Introduction

5:40 How life changes after losing a child to suicide

11:50 Finding innate resilience

17:16 Social media’s influence on her death

23:45 Making the decision to tell Molly’s story

29:21 “Social media leaders don’t know what they are creating”

35:14 The inquest

44:30 How do you tell the people you love that you don’t want to live

48:35 Uncomfortable feelings are part of the human experience

59:50 Living with grief

1:08:14 The complications of regulating social media

1:15:15 Advice for parents
Join Ian Russell, leading online children’s safety campaigner, and Terry Rubenstein, Founder of iheart, for an unmissable virtual conversation on 27th February. 7pm – 9:30pm. Secure your free admission and read more by clicking HERE

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1. Introduction (00:00:00)

2. How life changes after losing a child to suicide (00:05:40)

3. Finding innate resilience (00:11:50)

4. Social media’s influence on her death (00:17:16)

5. Making the decision to tell Molly’s story (00:23:45)

6. “Social media leaders don’t know what they are creating” (00:29:21)

7. The inquest (00:35:14)

8. How do you tell the people you love that you don’t want to live (00:44:30)

9. Uncomfortable feelings are part of the human experience (00:48:35)

10. Living with grief (00:59:50)

11. The complications of regulating social media (01:08:14)

12. Advice for parents (01:15:15)