Content encouraging self-harm to be illegal under Online Safety Bill
The Online Safety Bill is to be updated to criminalise the encouragement of self-harm, the UK government has said.
Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan said the update would create a new offence that would target communications that encourage someone to physically harm themselves, making it illegal to do so, and bringing it in line with communications that encourage suicide.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said the changes to the Online Safety Bill had been influenced by the case of Molly Russell, 14, who ended her own life in November 2017 after viewing social media content linked to depression, self-harm and suicide.
Ms Donelan said: “I am determined that the abhorrent trolls encouraging the young and vulnerable to self-harm are brought to justice.
“So I am strengthening our onlinesafetylawstomakesure these vile acts are stamped out and the perpetrators face jail time.
“Social media firms can no longer remain silent bystanders either, and they’ll face fines for allowing this abusive and destructive behaviour to continue on their platforms under our laws.”
The Online Safety Bill is due to return to Parliament early in December after a number of delays and after a latest round of updates.
The self-harm measure would be included in amendments to the bill, but Ms Donelan’s department could not when they would be tabled.
Social media platforms will be required to remove content encouraging self-harm, and any person found to have sent such communications will face prosecution.
The government said more details around the maximum penalty for the offence will be published in due course.
Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said: “Lives and families have been devastated by those who encourage vulnerable internet users to self-harm.
“Our changes will ensure the full force of the law applies to those callous and reckless individuals who try to manipulate the vulnerable online in this way.”
Earlier this week, the government announced other new offences being added to the bill that would crack down on the sharing intimate images without consent.