A DRAFT bill that orders tech firms to take down harmful content “needs to go a lot further” to tackle the “sewer of negativity,” a leading councillor has said.
The government is working on a proposed online safety bill that could lead to social media and internet bosses facing criminal prosecution if they don’t remove their “harmful algorithms”.
Campaigners have been urging tech firms to remove content that ‘glorifies suicide and self-harming’ and images of child abuse and violence against women and girls.
Speaking at a health and wellbeing board last month, councillor Stuart Carroll (Con: Boyn Hill), lead member for mental health, welcomed the government acting against this, but believed the bill “needs to go a lot further”.
He said: “Unfortunately, we are seeing far too often social media negatively contributing in an adverse way to peoples’ mental health and there have been some awful examples of that having an impact in terms of people taking their own lives or examples of suicide being glamorized and so on and so forth.
“I honestly and earnestly think social media providers and internet providers need to do a lot more.”
Councillors on the health wellbeing board were presented an updated strategy on suicide prevention across Berkshire from 2021 to 2026.
This will build from the previous paper – with an aim ‘to reduce deaths by suicide in Berkshire across the life course and ensure better knowledge and action around self-harm.’
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In particular, the strategy will focus on those bereaved or who have been affected by suicide, children and young people, women, self-harm, and those under economic pressure.
The biggest killer of men under 45 is suicide, figures revealled. The rate among women and girls in England has also reached its highest rate in 15 years in 2019.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Cllr Carroll said: “What’s important here is that we do talk about suicide. We need to raise awareness and educate the wider society on it.
“It is concerning and worrying that suicide remains the biggest killer of men under the age of 45 and we’re seeing an increase in that rate amongst women as well.
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“Thankfully in the Royal Borough, our suicide rate is comparatively low, but every suicide is avoidable and in order to ensure it is avoidable there is a range of things we need to do and that speaks to not only education, awareness, and talking about the issues around mental health – but also making sure that we do have the right services and strategies in place.
“This is an issue that is everybody’s responsibility. Suicide can affect anyone at any time and can affect people you know, friends, family, and colleagues.”
He also said a school mental health team has been deployed to help young people and children to support young people and children.
Cllr Carroll said: “It’s really pushing the principle of prevention and early intervention. So, when there are young people and children suffering from anxiety or challenges as a result of the pandemic, we are being active about that.”
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