UK government urges social media companies to remove dangerous driving content following crashes

The UK government is demanding social media companies remove videos celebrating dangerous driving following recent road fatalities linked to online viral challenges.

Speaking out on Monday, Defence Minister Luke Pollard criticised tech firms for allowing reckless content to circulate, arguing that algorithms often amplify harmful stunts for financial gain.

The government’s warning comes in the wake of a horrific crash near Middlesbrough on Saturday, which claimed the lives of two police officers and five teenagers.

PC Tom Clough and PC Matthew Blades were killed on the A66 when a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way down a dual carriageway collided head-on with their marked armed response vehicle. All five occupants of the Passat, including 18-year-old Makai Saddington, also died in the impact.

Investigations revealed that a TikTok account believed to belong to Saddington had previously shared videos depicting high-speed joyrides, police pursuits and reckless driving. Though these clips have since been removed, the tragedy has intensified scrutiny over how online platforms handle hazardous material.

Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey condemned the phenomenon, calling it “absolutely ridiculous” for individuals to jeopardise lives for social media attention.

The incident follows a similarly harrowing crash earlier this month in County Kildare, Ireland, where five teenagers were killed in a head-on motorway collision after driving the wrong way. That crash, which also left a family with serious injuries, was widely linked by authorities to a dangerous social media craze involving motorists recording themselves driving in the wrong direction for online likes and engagement.

Minister Pollard stated that tech companies have long argued they can effectively self-police, emphasising this is their moment to prove it by swiftly purging content that promotes road endangerment. He warned that if voluntary measures fall short, the government is fully prepared to leverage enforcement powers under the Online Safety Act to compel platforms to comply.

Regulator Ofcom noted that under current legislation, platforms are legally required to prevent users, particularly children, from being exposed to harmful and violent material.

Ofcom launched an ongoing investigation into TikTok’s child safety compliance last month, signalling that regulatory penalties could follow if platforms fail to proactively address dangerous challenges.

In response, TikTok stated that its safety guidelines strictly prohibit content causing physical harm and that the vast majority of violating content is removed proactively.