UK government urges TikTok to remove viral videos of dangerous driving

Key Points:

• Britain’s government has urged TikTok and other social media platforms to remove viral videos that celebrate dangerous driving, following a fatal crash that killed two police officers and five young men.
• The crash occurred when a Volkswagen was driven the wrong way on a road in northeastern England, hitting the officers’ vehicle; reports suggest one victim may have previously posted dangerous driving videos online.
• U.K. Defense Minister Luke Pollard emphasized the need for social media companies to police themselves by removing content that promotes reckless behavior on roads.
• The government supports the media regulator in taking strong action against platforms that fail to meet legal responsibilities regarding harmful content.
• Police revealed the crashed vehicle had a cloned number plate and arrested 12 people linked to suspected criminal activity, including firearm possession; separately, a similar wrong-way crash in Ireland involving teenagers has prompted parliamentary scrutiny of TikTok’s content policies.