Is Social Media Fueling the UK’s Underground Knife Trade?

Key Takeaways

• In the U.K., efforts to prevent the trade in illegal weapons are focused on online sales.
• Advertisements for knives have been observed on platforms including TikTok and Snapchat.
• The government has proposed penalizing executives of social media companies that fail to remove illegal content.

In a bid to curb knife crime, the U.K. government is targeting social media companies with a plan  to make senior executives personally liable if they fail to remove illegal content.

While all major social media platforms prohibit the advertisement and sale of weapons, the government’s latest proposal would motivate them to enforce the rules.

U.K. Weapons Dealers Skirt Advertising Rules

Like other platforms, TikTok doesn’t allow ads for weapons or even content that promotes or displays their use. Nevertheless, in 2023, the Times reported  that the app was advertising machetes, samurai swords, and illegal knives.

Snapchat has also come under fire  in the past for failing to take down videos showing deadly weapons until alerted by the media.

The presence of illegal content on popular video platforms used by young people raises questions about social media companies’ content moderation policies.

Content Moderation

With most platforms downsizing their moderation teams in favor of automated systems, the government’s latest proposal could help ensure social media companies don’t cut corners.

While ads for illegal knives are among the most brazen violations of social media rules, the government has also expressed concern about non-advertising content that promotes or glorifies weapons.

In recent years, British police forces have asked platforms like YouTube to remove music videos they claim glorify crime and could incite violence. Many of these contain groups of young men brandishing weapons.

Such initiatives have prompted debates about censorship and freedom of expression. Critics of the policy have also argued  that the targeting of drill musicians amounts to a new form of institutional racism.

Policing Online Knife Promotion

While the trend for policing the online space by cracking down on weapons-related content was started by the previous Conservative government, Labour has picked up the baton since coming to power.

The party’s election manifesto described knife crime as a “national crisis requiring urgent action.” The manifesto made several commitments  on the issue, including harsher sentences for offenders, strengthened rules to prevent online sales and personal responsibility for executives of online companies that flout the rules.

Commenting on the latest proposal , Commander Stephen Clayman, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for knife crime, said:

“For far too long, deadly weapons have been far too easily accessible online, with content promoting their use for protection and combat rife on many platforms and seemingly little being done to remove it.”

About the Author

James Morales

Although his background is in crypto and FinTech news, these days, James likes to roam across CCN’s editorial breadth, focusing mostly on digital technology. Having always been fascinated by the latest innovations, he uses his platform as a journalist to explore how new technologies work, why they matter and how they might shape our future.

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