UK demands social media action over viral wrong-way driving trend
Two police officers and five teenagers were killed in a head-on collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough on Saturday
The UK government has urged all the social media platforms to take down all the viral videos demonstrating the wrong-way driving trend.
Two police officers, including Tom Clough and PC Matthew Blades and five teenagers were killed in a head-on collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough on Saturday after a Volkswagen Passat drove the wrong way down a dual carriageway.
In the wake of the deadly incident, Defence Minister Luke Pollard urged social media companies to immediately remove such videos that celebrate dangerous and wrong-way driving.
Pollard said Monday, "Social media companies could take that down today, adjust their algorithms so it's not celebrated."
"They know exactly what content is on their site, they know how their algorithm works.”
"They also know that people post content to get views and the more views you get, sometimes you get money for it, so it's a financial incentive to post outrageous content that gets more people watching it,” he added.
Pollard also added that the government has taken concrete steps, demanding all the social media companies to remove such disturbing content. He also highlighted that platforms allow outrageous content to remain because views generate financial incentives for creators.
Downing Street stated that Ofcom has the government’s full backing to take action against platforms that fail in their legal duties under the Online Safety Act.
The UK PM Andy Burnham also condemned such activities, citing people who share footage glorifying dangerous driving are doing something that’s truly reprehensible.
Downing Street spokeswoman said, "The glorification of dangerous driving for clips and entertainment is utterly disgraceful and that is why we have raised the issue of this appalling content with social media companies since the tragedy, and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy) is clear that it should be removed in line with their legal obligations."
TikTok stated its policies prohibit content causing physical harm and that it is actively removing rule-breaking videos and accounts. Meta and X have not yet commented on it.
