I FIND myself, for once, in considerable agreement with the burden of Richard Drax's column (Friday, February 8).

It is certainly right that social media companies should be required to take more responsibility for the content that they distribute.

As they are international companies and the problem is international, ideally the necessary measures should be agreed internationally.

However, Mr Drax ignores some aspects of the problem that are closer to home.

Today's children and adolescents are presented with many stresses that, while perhaps exacerbated by social media, have causes over which we could exercise more control.

Moreover, we have seen in recent years a huge reduction, through funding cuts, in the effectiveness of the children's and adolescents' mental health service (CAMHS), while demand has increased.

Without prompt and effective treatment for children in need of help with mental health problems, we will see more tragedies of the sort referred to by Mr Drax. How many thousands of young suicides and damaged lives from malign neglect is he and his party prepared to countenance for the ideological pursuit of the "small state" in which, of necessity, many human needs must go unmet?

BARRY TEMPEST

Romulus Close, Dorchester