Government officials are calling on social media firms to remove videos of dangerous driving, citing concerns over financial incentives and public safety.
Key facts
- •Minister Pollard stated that social media platforms have a financial incentive to host outrageous content because users can earn money from views.
- •The UK government intends to use the Online Safety Act to compel platforms to remove content that celebrates dangerous road behavior.
- •TikTok reported that 99.8% of content removed for policy violations between January and March 2026 was identified proactively.
- •Two police officers and five occupants of a car died in a collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough.
- •In a separate incident in County Kildare, Ireland, five teenagers were killed in a head-on collision after driving the wrong way on a motorway.
UK minister Pollard has urged social media companies to remove content that glorifies dangerous driving, arguing that financial incentives for views encourage such posts. The government stated it will use powers under the Online Safety Act to compel platforms to act. This follows recent fatal crashes involving young people and the circulation of videos depicting reckless driving on platforms like TikTok.
Government and Regulatory Response
A Downing Street spokeswoman described the glorification of dangerous driving as disgraceful and confirmed that the government fully backs the regulator Ofcom in taking action against platforms that fail their duties. Ofcom noted that under the Online Safety Act, platforms are required to minimize children's exposure to violent material and content promoting dangerous challenges. The regulator launched an investigation into TikTok's compliance with child safety duties in July.
Platform Policies and Recent Incidents
TikTok stated its policies prohibit content that could cause significant physical harm, including dangerous driving, and that it proactively removes videos violating these rules. The company reported that between January and March 2026, 99.8% of content removed for such violations was taken down proactively. This comes after the deaths of two police officers and five occupants of a Volkswagen Passat in a collision near Middlesbrough, following a police pursuit. BBC Verify analyzed a deleted video from an account linked to one of the deceased, which showed a vehicle driving on footpaths and parkland.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by BBC Technology.
