World News
U.K. urges social media platforms to remove videos glorifying dangerous driving after fatal crash
British officials demand action from TikTok and other services following a wrong-way collision in northeastern England that left seven dead.
The short version
- The British government called on TikTok and other online platforms to remove content celebrating dangerous driving after a fatal head-on collision in northeastern England.
- The crash killed two police officers and five young men after a car traveling the wrong way on a road struck a police vehicle.
- Police reported the vehicle involved used cloned license plates and arrested 12 people over suspected prior criminal activity related to the event.
- TikTok stated its policies prohibit content that risks significant physical harm, but declined a separate invitation from Irish lawmakers regarding content glorifying illegal driving.
Key facts
- The British government requested that social media platforms remove videos glorifying dangerous driving following a collision in northeastern England.[ABC News]
- Two police officers and five young men aged 17 to 23 died in the crash when a vehicle traveling on the wrong side of the road hit a police car.[ABC News]
- Police stated the car had a cloned license plate and that 12 people were arrested connection with suspected criminal activity preceding the collision.[ABC News]
- In a separate incident in County Kildare, Ireland, five teenagers died and four people were injured in a wrong-way highway crash.[ABC News]
- TikTok declined an invitation to appear before an Irish parliamentary committee to discuss content promoting illegal activity following the County Kildare crash.[ABC News]
What remains uncertain
- British media reported that one of the victims in the England crash may have previously shared dangerous driving videos online, though this was not confirmed by authorities.[ABC News]