We had so much trauma over Jay... social media can spread awareness but can also be the work of the devil

Slater mum calls for Jay's Law to curb online conspiracy theorists

- BY CHRISTINE SMITH

The mum of teenager Jay Slater - who died after vanishing following a night out in Tenerife - is asking Mirror readers to back her call for 'Jay's Law.

Debbie Duncan, whose 19-year-old son disappeared on June 17, 2024, claims conspiracy theories about his death hampered the police search.

And misleading videos about him are still being posted online, despite a coroner ruling his death accidental.

Backed by her Labour MP, Sarah Smith, she is calling for tighter regulations to stop armchair detectives from spreading misinformation online about missing people and, as in Jay's case, their subsequent deaths.

Debbie, 57, tells the Mirror: "It would be amazing if a Jay's Law was introduced. If it is too difficult, then existing rules need tightening. But I want to see it debated in Parliament.

"Content creators are still out there talking about Jay. They go over the same things - it's shocking.

"I am all for freedom of speech, but not when you are constantly misinforming and speaking badly about a family who are grieving.

"I need to fight for Jay's name. To continue making videos more than a year on, going through every detail over and over again is shocking.

"Social media is good for spreading awareness, but can also be the work of the devil. If I can save another family from going through the trauma we have, it will be worth it."

Debbie is speaking out before a Candour Productions documentary for Channel 4 airs on September 28.

Together with Jay's father, Warren, 59, and brother, Zak, 25, she gave TV producers access to Jay's story.

The family shared personal home footage, as well as coverage from Jay's funeral and even his postmortem.

Warren hopes showing the T-shirt and trainers Jay wore the night Jay died will end conspiracy theories that their son is still alive.