Overview

• The UK government has introduced fines of up to £60,000 per post for tech platforms and £10,000 for individual executives who fail to remove knife crime content within 48 hours of a police warning.
• The amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill extends liability to search engines, social media platforms, and online marketplaces.
• Knife-related offences in 2024 reached 54,587, more than doubling since 2014, with teenage victims rising by 140% over the same period.
• This legislative push follows consultation with the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, launched by Sir Keir Starmer, and aims to halve knife crime within a decade.
• The measures complement other government initiatives, including a weapons surrender scheme launching in July and tougher penalties for selling knives to minors.