Why Netflix drama Adolescence must spark change

Social media safety is in crisis and it needs help

I set up Raise because, when I started researching in 2019 the harmful effects of social media on the next generation for my TED talk, I felt something had to be done about the chasm between online safety laws and regulation, and actual activity online amongst young people and social media safety.

I began delivering my ideas of a solution in talks, television appearances, and in workshops to those who asked for help. I met with parents, children, educators, businesses, even prisons.

The Prime Minister calls for urgent action

This week, the Prime Minister called for a Netflix show to be aired in parliament and in schools, and I think that everyone could see this would become a pivotal moment. The TV series Adolescence, about social media's role in online radicalisation of children, toxic masculinity and violence against girls, has captured the zeitgeist of the evolution of social media safety. For many, it has opened eyes to the scale of the problem.

"This violence, carried out by young men influenced by what they see online, is a real problem. It's abhorrent and we have to tackle it", said Sir Keir Starmer earlier this week in Prime Minister's Questions. And he has already pledged action.

"We are putting specialist rape and sexual offences teams in every police force, doing work on the 999 calls. But this is also a matter of culture - that I think it's important that across the whole house we tackle this emerging and growing problem," he said.

So how does society tackle the culture that is an emerging and growing problem?

That's where Raise is here to help.

Here at Raise, we have built a global team of social media safety specialists, who spend their days working with social network data, in dark social, ephemeral social, working the algorithms and navigating the trending topics and user behaviours.

We are on the road this year. We're delivering workshops, keynotes and talks to groups that have asked us and that can benefit from understanding more about how to build safer social media environments.

A call to action on how to get help from Raise

Businesses that work with influencers, schools, youth clubs, organisations of all kinds, even individuals who need help, we're here to help. We do this for free, so email us if you think we can help.

We are also starting a help service. For those who need to chat because of something that's happening on social media, whether it's content that needs removing, a person, a problem you or someone you know has become involved in, or you just need to talk, message our Instagram account @raisegeneration. We'll respond within two hours.

If we can help one person to avoid 'Adolescence' then this will be worth it. If we can cure the problem, that's the vision.

And if you would like to help by volunteering to join the Raise team, we are looking for helpers from all corners of the world. Email me on drew@raisegeneration.com and tell me why you'd like to join.