Overview
- Debbie Duncan, the mother of Jay Slater, says a YouTube account that gloated about her son’s death was removed after a media inquiry, but the same troll resumed posting abuse on TikTok within hours.
- Missing People and the Mirror have launched the Missed campaign with a pledge urging creators to avoid speculation, reject AI‑made fakes, respect families’ privacy, and choose empathy over entertainment.
- Prime Minister Keir Starmer has publicly backed the effort, calling the abuse unacceptable and saying platforms must meet Online Safety Act duties to remove illegal harassment and stop it appearing.
- Families describe severe harm from hoaxes, false accusations, and AI fabrications, including a police rebuttal of a fake quote about Andrew Gosden and a reported charge for malicious communication in the Jack O’Sullivan case.
- YouTube and TikTok say they ban harassment and harmful misinformation, yet relatives report monetised videos and slow takedowns, while Debbie Duncan’s ‘Jay’s Law’ petition now has government recognition and seeks 100,000 signatures by May 4 for a Commons debate.