Downing Street has backed media regulator Ofcom taking “tough action” against social media platforms that fail to remove dangerous driving videos following a crash that killed seven people near Middlesbrough.
Downing Street has backed Ofcom taking “tough action” against social media platforms that fail to remove videos glorifying dangerous driving after a crash killed seven people near Middlesbrough.
The collision happened in the early hours of Saturday (22.08.26) when a Volkswagen Passat carrying five people crashed head-on with a marked armed response vehicle while travelling the wrong way on the A66.
PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, died at the scene.
The five people in the Passat, aged between 17 and 23, also died.
Police had followed the Passat for seven minutes after receiving intelligence about “multiple incidents” involving a vehicle matching its description.
Officers abandoned the pursuit when the car began travelling against traffic and remained on the correct side of the road.
The Passat, which is believed to have had cloned number plates, collided with the police vehicle about 10 seconds later.
The crash has renewed concerns over social media videos showing people deliberately driving dangerously, including travelling on the wrong side of roads.
A No 10 spokesperson said Ofcom had the government’s “full backing to take tough action” against platforms such as TikTok if they failed to remove such content.
The spokesperson said: “The glorification of dangerous driving for clips and entertainment is utterly disgraceful.”
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said anyone who glorifies dangerous driving was doing something “truly reprehensible”.
Defence Minister Luke Pollard also called on platforms to remove posts that celebrate dangerous driving.
He said social media companies should prevent their algorithms from promoting such material, particularly where views and engagement can create financial incentives.
Pollard said: “Remove the content that celebrates dangerous behaviour on our roads.”
Ofcom said platforms have legal duties under the Online Safety Act to protect children from content encouraging dangerous stunts and challenges.
The regulator is already investigating TikTok over concerns about its age-checking systems.
TikTok has denied putting children at risk, saying its rules prohibit dangerous driving content that could cause significant physical harm.
It says videos and accounts breaking its rules are removed.
The A66 crash came less than a week after five teenagers died in Ireland when a car travelling the wrong way on the M9 in County Kildare collided with another vehicle.
The incidents have intensified scrutiny of online content that appears to encourage or reward dangerous driving.
Downing Street backs ‘tough action’ against social media platforms if they fail to remove dangerous driving clips
