Overview

• Tech companies and executives face collective fines of up to £70,000 per post for failing to remove knife crime content within 48 hours of a police warning.
• The sanctions, introduced via an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, now apply to social media platforms, search engines, and online marketplaces.
• A £1.75 million-funded Metropolitan Police unit will oversee enforcement, issuing removal notices and targeting illegal online knife sales.
• Knife crime rates in England and Wales reached a record 54,587 offences in 2024, more than double the figures from 2014.
• The government’s broader strategy includes banning specific knife types, launching a national surrender scheme in July, and tightening laws on knife sales and sentencing.