The passing of “Love Island” host #CarolineFlack has ignited a conversation over whether the U.K. should have stricter guidelines for social media and the press.
This past Saturday, Flack, 40, was found dead of an apparent suicide in her London flat. Now, friends of the host believe the tabloid press and social media critics are the reason the celeb took her own life, saying she was harassed after news broke back in December about her allegedly assaulting her boyfriend. Flack denied the abuse charge.
In response to Flack’s death, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman said social media companies needed to make sure changes are made online to combat virtual bullying. “Caroline Flack was relentlessly trolled online, but this trolling was amplified and legitimized by the mainstream press, and they should not be allowed to dodge their share of the blame,” said Tracy Brabin, the opposition Labour Party’s culture spokeswoman.
This news comes on the heels of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s departure from the U.K. following the nation’s poor and misleading coverage of the couple. On Monday, two days after “Love Island” was set to come back, hundreds of thousands of people signed online petitions calling for another investigation into the government making stricter rules for how the media can cover celebrities, according to U.S. News. Some of the demands include a ban on the use of anonymous quotes, the invasion of privacy, the publication of private information, and medical records.
