'If they did it on the doorstep, they'd be arrested' - Jay Slater's mum launches tragedy trolling petition
The mother of Jay Slater has stepped up her call for legislation to tackle online trolls who target grieving families.
Debbie Duncan is demanding action to require social media platforms to remove false, malicious and speculative content aimed at bereaved relatives, with Ofcom given powers to enforce sanctions.
It follows she and her family being targeted with online abuse following the death of her 19-year-old son last year while holidaying on the Spanish island of Tenerife.
In September, Ms Duncan, from Oswaldtwistle, launched an official Parliamentary petition calling for a new ‘Jay Law’ backed by Hyndburn MP Sarah Smith. The two women are now working together to convene a cross-party meeting of MPs and ministers to discuss how Jay’s Law can be brought forward.
The petition can be viewed here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/742843
The meeting will look at how to strengthen protections for grieving families, ensure platforms are held accountable when they fail to act, and explore ways Ofcom and government departments can work together on the issue.
Jay’s disappearance on June 16 last year sparked a major manhunt which then generated a host of speculation and rumours online.His body was found in a steep and inaccessible area by a mountain rescue team on July 15 2024.
Debbie said:“I never imagined that after losing my son, I’d have to fight to stop people spreading lies about him online. It’s cruel and it’s constant, and it makes every day harder. The people who do this hide behind screens, but what they say has real consequences for real families.
“I’m campaigning for Jay’s Law because something has to change. Families should be allowed to grieve in peace without being dragged through more pain. I’m grateful for Sarah’s support and for everyone who stands with us in calling for stronger laws. If this campaign can protect even one more family from going through what we have, it will have been worth it.”
Sarah has been supporting Debbie and Jay’s family since his disappearance in Tenerife, helping them deal with authorities at home and abroad, pressing tech companies to remove harmful content, and raising the issue directly in Parliament. She has consistently called for stronger regulation of social media platforms to prevent coordinated online abuse, working across parties to push for reform.
Mrs Smith said: “We can’t keep allowing grieving families to become targets for abuse and lies every time a tragedy happens. Debbie’s experience shows that the law hasn’t caught up with the reality of online behaviour. Platforms are too slow to act.
“If someone shouted these things on Debbie’s doorstep, they’d be arrested. If papers posted such baseless stories every single day about victims, they’d be in breach of the rules.
“But online, people get away with it. This has to change, we must stop tragedy trolling.”
Nicola Bulley
The campaign follows a Channel 4 documentary that exposed the growing problem of 'tragedy trolling' and mirrors the experiences of families such as Nicola Bulley’s and the McCanns, who have both been targeted by online speculation and falsehoods.
Sarah and Debbie are now working together to convene a cross-party meeting of MPs and Ministers to discuss how Jay’s Law can be brought forward. The meeting will look at how to strengthen protections for grieving families, ensure platforms are held accountable when they fail to act, and explore ways Ofcom and government departments can work together to deliver real change.The pair are urging the public to sign and share the petition, and to help make online spaces safer for grieving families.