Overview

• RSPCA recorded 133 social media cruelty reports from January to May 2025, marking a 27% increase over the same period last year.
• Since 2019 the charity has logged 2,600 cases of online animal cruelty, with Facebook, Instagram and TikTok as the leading platforms for offending content.
• The Online Safety Act 2023 took effect on March 17, and RSPCA is partnering with Ofcom to monitor compliance and enforce content removal requirements.
• A 2025 Kindness Index survey found that 30% of adults witnessed animal cruelty online, rising to 46% among 18–24-year-olds.
• A 33% spike in cruelty reports and 374 daily calls last summer prompted the RSPCA’s Summer Cruelty Campaign to combat seasonal peaks in abuse.