Technology companies could soon face fines of up to £60,000 for failing to remove knife crime-related content from their platforms.
The move is part of a government crackdown aimed at curbing violent content online and protecting children from harmful material.
The new sanction builds on previously announced measures that allow fines of up to £10,000 for individual tech executives if knife-related posts are not removed within 48 hours of a police warning.
Under the expanded rules, both social media platforms and search engines will be penalised if they do not act swiftly. This means a single post could carry a total financial penalty of up to £70,000.
The government is introducing this new measure as part of an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill.
It is intended to address growing concerns that young people, particularly teenage boys, are being exposed to violent and dangerous content online, including videos that glorify knife use and promote weapons.
According to the Home Office, these changes follow extensive consultation with the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, which was launched by Sir Keir Starmer in 2023. The coalition includes charities, police officials, and campaign groups working together to reduce knife-related violence in the UK.
The Ben Kinsella Trust, a key member of the coalition, welcomed the announcement. The charity, named after a teenager who was fatally stabbed in 2008, has been vocal in calling for stricter oversight of online content. The trust argues that social media platforms have consistently failed to regulate themselves and remove harmful content quickly.
Knife crime continues to rise across England and Wales. In the year leading to March 2024, there were 53 teenage fatalities involving knives, a significant increase from 22 a decade ago. Police also recorded over 54,500 knife-related offences in 2024, more than double the number reported in 2014.
Experts warn that while knife crime has long been an issue, the spread of online content glamorising violence is making the problem worse. Posts advertising dangerous weapons, often accompanied by links to sellers, are readily accessible to young users.
Campaigners have highlighted how this ease of access is fuelling knife crime and putting more lives at risk.
While the government’s move to fine tech firms is seen as a positive step, campaigners stress that deeper societal issues must also be addressed. Cuts to youth services and limited community support have left many young people vulnerable to gang recruitment and violence.
In addition to these fines, the government has pledged to halve knife crime within a decade. This includes plans to ban zombie-style knives and ninja swords, introduce stricter laws on online weapon sales, and launch a national knife surrender scheme in July.
New offences, including possessing a weapon with intent to commit violence, will carry prison sentences of up to four years.
Despite broad support for these new regulations, some MPs have raised concerns over whether the government can realistically monitor and enforce the removal of violent content on such a large scale.
Others argue that cultural influences from music, social media, and the entertainment industry are contributing to the normalisation of knife violence and must be addressed alongside tougher laws.
As the UK steps up efforts to combat knife crime, tech companies are being put under increased pressure to act responsibly and protect users—especially children—from harmful and dangerous content.
