THE mum of murdered schoolgirl Brianna Ghey has called for a blanket ban on mobile phones in schools — warning children are being exposed to dangerous online content every day.
said inconsistent phone rules across are leaving kids vulnerable and urged the government to take nationwide action to protect pupils.
Her call comes in the wake of Adolescence, the hard-hitting drama that’s left parents across the country questioning whether they truly know .
The show follows a 13-year-old boy who falls into a dark web of misogynistic chat forums and secret emoji codes — before murdering a female classmate.
Esther told The Times: “We need to support in a blanket ban across .
“If a school has banned phones in one area and in the same area another school hasn’t — it becomes an issue with parents. It needs to be done across the board to make it easier.”;
She revealed how her daughter Brianna had accessed self-harm and eating disorder websites — and said she would often confiscate her phone out of concern over who she was speaking to online.
“I was concerned about what she was accessing online and who she was speaking to online more so,”; she said.
“And I would take Brianna’s phone away from her as a punishment and I think that that probably resulted in her coming away from me and not wanting to be open with me about what happened online.”;
Esther’s plea adds to growing pressure on ministers to crack down on phone use among kids.
She has joined forces with campaigner Roxy Longworth, 22, who was coerced into sending intimate pictures when she was just 13, and is now pushing for more young voices in decisions around online safety.
The call follows comments from Children’s Commissioner Rachel de Souza, who last week demanded
She accused tech giants of “robbing children of their innocence”; and backed .
“I would love for us to adopt the Australian model,”; she said, urging Secretary Peter Kyle to act fast.
voted for the sweeping social media ban in November, with harsh fines for firms that fail to comply.
has also taken steps to restrict children’s access to digital platforms.
In the UK, the Online Safety Act gives watchdog the power to fine tech firms up to £18million if they fail to remove harmful content.
But campaigners argue vast amounts of dangerous material still slip through.
Esther said the law needs to go even further.
“Young people are at harm and are losing their lives and shouldn’t be struggling with mental issues because of what they’re accessing online,”; she told The Times.
“We really do need to take a hard stance on this.”;
Tech Secretary Peter Kyle has said he wants to “learn”; from Australia but warned an outright social media ban for under-16s is unlikely, insisting platforms can be a “lifeline”; for vulnerable kids.
But for Esther Ghey, the risks of inaction are clear — and she’s urging leaders to draw the line
