Violent Online Content Remained Accessible for Weeks After Reporting, Inquiry Finds
A public inquiry discovered that a significant portion of violent material and weapons sales content was not removed by online platforms even after being reported.
Violent content and details of weapons sales remained accessible online for weeks, even after being reported to platform providers, according to findings presented to the Southport public inquiry. The inquiry is examining how risks posed by violence-fixated individuals can be managed and the role the internet and social media play in these issues.
Nicholas Moss KC, counsel to the inquiry, detailed the results of an eight-hour search conducted across platforms including X, TikTok, Reddit, Instagram, and Discord. The material discovered ranged from content with violent overtones that could be argued as newsworthy to overtly violent or graphic gore.
Crucially, 98.9% of the material was publicly accessible, and 92.3% had no age restrictions. After this material was reported to the platforms, 87.9% remained online a week later. Fourteen days after reporting, 83.8% of the content was still available.
Representatives from platforms including TikTok, Reddit, X, and Alphabet, Google's parent company, are expected to provide evidence to the inquiry in November. They will be questioned about the findings and the "arguable delay and failures to remove the material even when it had been reported to them."