A review conducted for the Southport Inquiry has revealed that violent material remained available online for two weeks after being reported in more than 80% of cases. The report, which examined the 'real-world accessibility' of violent content and weapons sales, found concerning material on platforms including X, TikTok, and Instagram.
Nicholas Moss KC, counsel to the inquiry, stated that 98.9% of the material was publicly accessible and 92.3% was not subject to any age restrictions. All content was reported to the platforms, but 87.9% remained live after one week, and 83.8% was still available 14 days later.
The public inquiry is currently in its second phase, focusing on managing risks posed by 'violence-fixated individuals' following the knife attack in Southport on 29 July 2024. This attack resulted in the deaths of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and left 23 other children with physical or psychological injuries.
Representatives from platforms such as TikTok, Reddit, X, and Alphabet are expected to provide evidence to the inquiry in November. The inquiry continues on Wednesday with evidence from a panel of experts reviewing other cases of violence-fixated individuals.