Chris Whitty's abuse is a symptom of social media out of control | Simon Jenkins

Debate only works if it is disciplined by ethics. The failure to regulate the digital revolution is the great mistake of our age

A teenager this week harangued Britain’s chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, in the street as a liar, and then posted his attack on TikTok. It was, said Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock, “completely unacceptable”. The boy’s mother frantically apologised, explaining her 15-year-old son had “a keen interest in public affairs and politics”. His PlayStation would be confisca...