Kemi Badenoch’s 20-year-old cousin killed himself after falling down an “internet rabbit hole”, the Tory leader has said, opening up about how she “worries a lot about social media”.
In a deeply personal interview, Ms Badenoch said her young cousin took his own life after struggling with excessive internet use.
“I worry a lot about social media,” she told the Daily Mail. “I have a family member who was in his 20s and went down an internet ‘rabbit hole’. He was exploring pro-mortalism and anti-natalism, and killed himself.
“I hadn’t heard of either of them. But I saw what excessive internet use can do.”
Pro-mortalism is a philosophical view that argues it would be ethical to kill all humanity to prevent further suffering, while anti-natalism is the belief that it is morally wrong or unjustifiable for people to have children.
Ms Badenoch said her cousin was living alone in Canada and prepared a detailed and graphic suicide note at the end of 2022, describing his struggles.
“He wrote the most extraordinary lucid letter, but ended his own life,” she said.
“It’s heartbreaking. My views about the dangers of social media are not just about children. I know even as adults we can get dangerously addicted.”
His death is one of the reasons Ms Badenoch is considering following Australia’s policy of banning children under 16 from social media.
“It’s an area our policy review will look at,” she said, adding that she sometimes spends up to 30 minutes at a time watching “funny reels” on Instagram. “If adults find it addictive, what chance do kids have?” she added.
Ms Badenoch’s comments come as a poll by the NASUWT teaching union found 59 per cent of teachers said they believe social media use has contributed to a deterioration in pupils’ behaviour in schools.
The survey, of more than 5,800 NASUWT members in the UK in January, suggests that teachers think social media is the number one cause of negative pupil behaviour.
The findings have been released during the NASUWT’s annual conference in Liverpool over the Easter weekend.
Delegates at the conference will debate a motion which suggests far right and populist movements have shifted their recruitment onto social media, messaging and online gaming platforms.
The motion calls on the union’s executive to work with teachers “to assess the risk that far right and populist movements pose to young people”.
It adds that the union should work with the government “to support teachers in challenging far right and populist narratives” presented to young people.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch
