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Following the tragic incident involving the Southport killer, the UK Home Secretary is urging social media companies to take immediate action in removing violent content from their platforms to prevent further instances of violence. Yvette Cooper’s directive specifically targets platforms such as X, Meta, TikTok, Google, and YouTube, highlighting the accessibility of harmful materials, including an al-Qaeda training manual, as “unacceptable.” She emphasized that these companies have a “moral responsibility to act.”
Last week, Axel Rudakubana was sentenced to 52 years in prison after admitting to the murders of three young girls—Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9—during a dance class incident in July. In addition to these murders, Rudakubana also pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of eight other children and two adults who sustained injuries in the attack.
Investigations into Rudakubana’s background revealed evidence of his fixation on violent actions, alongside an academic study of an al-Qaeda training manual that he had downloaded online. Law enforcement officials noted that he applied tactics outlined in the manual during his violent act.
In a joint letter with Technology Secretary Peter Kyle, Cooper pointed out the critical issue surrounding the accessibility of such dangerous content. Despite the illegal status of possessing the document under current anti-terrorism laws, Rudakubana had no trouble obtaining it, which raises serious questions about online safety regulations. Cooper stated, “The ease of access to such dangerous, illegal content is unacceptable,” urging for preventive measures against similar occurrences in the future.
Before committing the atrocities, Rudakubana reportedly viewed graphic footage of a previous knife attack which targeted Australian bishop Mari Emmanuel. Although this video was removed from Australian platforms, it remained accessible within the UK, illustrating the potential dangers of unchecked content circulation. Cooper highlighted that the Southport attack serves as a sobering reminder of the dire consequences that could result from the inaction of social media companies in regulating violent content.
“We are therefore urgently asking you to ensure this is also removed from your platforms to ensure that it is not used to inspire other attacks,” Cooper stated in her letter.
With the implementation of the Online Safety Act starting in March, social media companies will be required to take “proportionate measures” to shield users from illegal content. Cooper insisted that there are no valid reasons to delay immediate action and that platforms have an ethical duty to safeguard their users now.
The incident has prompted the government to launch a public inquiry into the failures that allowed Rudakubana to evade prevention measures. He was referred to the Prevent program on three occasions between 2019 and 2021, and had a history of violent offenses against children, along with multiple admissions of carrying a knife.
According to the Sunday Times, a forthcoming Home Office review suggests significant shortcomings in how Rudakubana was monitored by counter-terrorism officials. It reports that these officers underestimated his interests, mistakenly believing that he had only a general curiosity about global news and was not at risk of being radicalized.
Source
www.bbc.com