Jools’ Law is a UK campaign sparked by the tragic death of 14‑year‑old Jools Sweeney, whose mother is fighting to change the law so bereaved parents can access their child’s social media and online data after they die.

What happened to Jools?

Jools was found unresponsive in his bedroom in April 2022 and later died. An inquest concluded that he had taken his own life, but the coroner said it was unlikely he actually intended to die, leaving the exact circumstances unclear. His mother, Ellen Roome from Cheltenham, believes he may have been involved in a dangerous online challenge that went wrong, but she has never been able to properly check his online activity to know for sure. The coroner did not formally record suicide in the legal sense because they could not prove he was in a “suicidal mood,” which has added to the family’s sense of unanswered questions.

What is “Jools’ Law”?

“Jools’ Law” is a proposed change to UK law that would give bereaved parents a clear legal right to access their deceased child’s social media and other online data. At present, platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, Meta (Facebook, Instagram), and others often refuse or severely limit access, citing privacy rules and data protection obligations. In Jools’ case, some companies told the family data had been deleted under existing rules; TikTok, for example, said watch and search history had to be removed unless police requested it in time. The core idea behind Jools’ Law is that key data for children who die should be preserved automatically and made accessible to parents through a clear, humane process, so they can understand what happened and potentially protect other children.

How far has the campaign got?

Ellen started a public petition calling for Jools’ Law, which passed 100,000 signatures and triggered a debate in the UK Parliament (Westminster Hall) in January 2025. MPs discussed giving parents rights over children’s online data after death and how that interacts with privacy, free expression, and platform responsibilities. The campaign has attracted significant media coverage, including features on national TV and in major outlets such as Sky News, Good Morning Britain, The Guardian, and the BBC. In early 2026, members of the House of Lords backed an amendment to a Crime and Policing Bill to require automatic retention of social media data for children who have died, seen as a step toward the kind of framework Jools’ Law is pressing for.

Why is this such a big issue?

For Ellen, the lack of access means she still does not know exactly what Jools saw or did online in his final hours or days, and she fears crucial evidence has been lost forever. She argues that understanding a child’s digital life can be vital for grief, inquests, and any future safeguarding lessons that might prevent similar deaths. Tech companies and some commentators, on the other hand, worry about privacy of third parties in private messages and the broader implications of giving families posthumous access to accounts, especially as teens often confide in friends or partners online. This tension between parental rights, children’s privacy, and free‑speech concerns is at the heart of current debates in Parliament and among online‑safety advocates.

What’s happening now and what might come next?

The campaign has evolved from just trying to get Jools’ own data into a broader push for a formal “Data Use and Access” framework for bereaved families. Ellen has talked about seeking a new inquest using any new legal tools that emerge, and she continues meeting policymakers and experts to refine how such a law could work in practice. Supporters want a system where, when a child dies, key online data is preserved, and parents can apply for access through a controlled legal process with safeguards for other people’s privacy. Whatever final shape it takes, Jools’ Law has already helped push online‑safety, platform accountability, and bereaved parents’ digital rights much higher up the UK political agenda.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.