Site boss’ regret over Molly death
He’d ban own children from images she saw
A SOCIAL media company boss apologised to Molly Russell’s family yesterday, after her father accused such firms of “helping” to kill his tormented daughter.
Judson Hoffman, Head of Community Operations at Pinterest, said he “deeply regretted” the 14-year-old was able to view graphic photos and text about self-harm on the platform.
The inquest into Molly’s death was shown disturbing images she had looked at in the months before she took her own life, which included shots of girls who had self-harmed and corpses.
The “bleak and depressing” posts read by Molly included: “Suicide seems like the only option. I give up.”
The image-sharing site sent her emails including 10 “depression pins” and “new ideas for you in depression we think might be right up your alley”.
Mr Hoffman told North London Coroner’s Court: “I would not show [the content] to my own children.”
Molly killed herself at her home in Harrow, north London, in November 2017, after hiding her despair from her family, the court was told.
She had messaged social media influencers including a US rapper, who she told on Twitter: “Kinda wanna kill myself, please help.”
Molly’s father Ian Russell told the court: “She was calling out into an empty void.”
He added: “I find it really hard to believe that some of the most advanced tech companies can’t find a way to help prevent the content reaching vulnerable children.”
Mr Hoffman said: “We strive every day to make it safer and safer. Artificial intelligence has been developed to… ‘hide’ potentially harmful content.”
After Oliver Sanders, KC, representing the Russell family, said Pinterest could take a “no risk” option by banning children from the site as they are not “mature” enough to decide what is suitable.
Pinterest has around 430 million monthly users and makes around £2billion a year, the court heard. The inquest continues.
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