Knife Crime Crackdown: UK Targets Tech Giants With New Fines for Violent Content

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Tech Giants Face Hefty Fines for Failing to Remove Knife Crime Content

London, UK – Tech companies and their top executives could face individual fines of up to £70,000 each time they fail to remove posts related to knife crime, according to a new government crackdown.

The UK Government is expanding its initial plan to fine individual tech bosses £10,000 per violation to include an additional fine of up to £60,000 levied directly against the company for each instance of failing to remove content promoting illegal knives, offensive weapons, or content glorifying violence.

The Home Office said the sanctions target content that “incites violence, particularly in young boys.” The new regulations will apply to a wider range of online platforms, including search engines, social media sites, and online marketplaces.

Crime and Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson stated:

“The kind of content that young people scroll through every day online is sickening and I will not accept any notion that restricting access to this harmful material is too difficult. Our children need more from us. That is why we are now going further than ever to hold to account the tech companies who are not doing enough to safeguard young people from content which incites violence, particularly in young boys. Curbing the impact of this kind of content will be key for our mission to halve knife crime, but more widely our Plan for Change across Government to do more protect young people from damaging and dangerous content.”

Patrick Green, chief executive of the Ben Kinsella Trust, a knife crime prevention charity, praised the government’s decision:

“The portrayal of knife crime on social media has significantly hindered efforts to reduce it. Beyond merely normalising, glamorising, and desensitising young people to violence, it has often provided an illegal avenue for purchasing knives without adequate safeguards, such as proper age verification. Social media companies and their executives have repeatedly failed to address these issues. Therefore, I welcome today’s announcement from the Government to take decisive action and hold these executives accountable. I also thank the Government for listening to the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime and for extending these sanctions to include social media companies, who have a responsibility to keep young people safe on their platforms.”