Ways to Change the World with Krishnan Guru-Murthy

Brianna Ghey’s mother on dangers of the internet and banning social media for under-16s

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Episode notes

Esther Ghey is the mother of Brianna Ghey, the 16-year-old transgender girl who was stabbed to death in a park in Cheshire, England in 2023.

In the wake of her daughter’s brutal murder, Esther has been campaigning to ensure that Brianna’s legacy is an improvement in the mental health of children and teenagers, something she believes can be achieved by limiting their access to harmful online content from an early age, as well as with teaching mindfulness in schools.

In this episode of Ways to Change the World, she tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy why protecting young people online is not only the parents’ responsibility, but that of governments and social media companies. She also talks about the importance of teaching empathy and compassion to children, and why she supports Labour MP Josh MacAlister’s proposal of banning social media apps for under-16s in the UK.

Produced by Silvia Maresca.