US parents’ warning over dangers of social media for children after their son took his own life

The heartbroken parents of Dexton Obray have revealed how social media was serving self-harm content to their son, and why they are fighting for stronger laws to protect children.

In the days after the death of Dexton Obray, the 14-year-old’s parents tried to understand what had driven him to take his own life.

Britney and Karl knew him as the kind of boy who always made handmade presents for Mother’s Day, who would spend his pocket money on his family and friends, and who would take roses to school for every girl in his class on Valentine’s Day so no one felt left out.

While social media had darkened a child they described as “the light in everybody’s life”, the Utah family had taken action. They limited his usage of Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok to an hour a day and then confiscated his phone if even that seemed too much.

Dexton Obray was just 14 years old when he took his own life. His parents blame social media for his death. Picture: Supplied

After Dexton died in 2022, however, they found three other devices he was using to sneak online. He was addicted to the apps – and they were filling him with thoughts of suicide.

“His TikToks were feeding him full of ways to kill himself,” Ms Obray said.

“That he’s nothing but a loser; he’s not worth anything; no one cares about him; that if he died today, no one would care. It showed him how to run a car into a tree.”

Dexton Obray, a Utah teenager who died by suicide for which his parents have blamed social media. Picture: Supplied

Dexton Obray with his mum Britney. Picture: Supplied

Wading through the content their son had viewed, his parents became determined to help other families prevent a similar tragedy. They have since helped spur Utah’s US-leading crackdown on social media – and they are now encouraging Australia to follow suit.

“These platforms can say individuals posted these videos and they’re just providing a platform. But they’re all shared by an algorithm,” Mr Obray said.

“They knew what algorithms they were sharing Dexton and what he was addicted to, and bringing him down lower and lower. That’s what we’re really fighting.”

“It’s got to stop … It’s ruining a generation.”

News Corp and Australian parents are calling on the federal government to raise the age limit at which children can access social media to 16 as part of a national campaign, Let Them Be Kids, to stop the scourge of social media.

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Dexton Obray (right) with his older brother Kai and dad Karl. Picture: Supplied

Dexton started using social media as a 12 year old. His parents now believe the age limit should be 16, if not 18, with Mr Obray saying it is otherwise impossible to keep children off the platforms in the face of peer pressure from their friends.

“It just should not be given to kids, and I think we’re slowly figuring this out as a society,” he said, arguing that social media companies have been “grooming these kids to be addicted to their platforms for life”.

“These guys know what they’re doing and the only way they’re going to change is if the governments get involved.”

Ms Obray said her message to politicians in Australia considering how to regulate social media was simple: “Let kids be kids.”

“We don’t even understand a little bit of what these kids deal with on a daily basis because of what they’re going through with social media,” she said.

“Why is it even a thing? They don’t even need it.”

If this story has triggered anything for you please call:

Lifeline 13 11 14

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800

Beyond Blue 1300 224 636