Badenoch says a family member died after struggles with ‘excessive internet use’

Kemi Badenoch said she worries “a lot about social media” as she revealed a member of her family died after falling down an “internet rabbit hole”.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, the Conservative leader said she had a young cousin who committed suicide after battling excessive internet use.

She told the paper: “I worry a lot about social media.

“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.”

I know even as adults we can get dangerously addicted

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.”

Ms Badenoch’s comments come as a poll by the NASUWT teaching union found 59% 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.