‘Dangerous driving videos must come down today’, minister tells TikTok

Online Safety Act powers on the table over dangerous driving content

Defence minister Luke Pollard said platforms could act “today” against a viral trend in which drivers film themselves going the wrong way down roads.

PC Tom Clough, 38, and PC Matthew Blades, 37, died on Saturday when a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way down the dual carriageway struck their Cleveland Police vehicle.

The five people in the other car also died.

Officers had been following the Passat after it was seen behaving “suspiciously”, but the Independent reported the pursuit was called off ten seconds before the collision.

Pollard told BBC Breakfast: “Social media companies could take that down today, adjust their algorithms so it’s not celebrated.”

He warned ministers would use Online Safety Act powers to compel platforms if they did not.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, he added: “I want to see social media companies step up.

"They know exactly what content is on their site, they know how their algorithm works…"

This is the sharpest content-moderation row the Labour government has picked.

BBC News reported that a TikTok account believed to belong to one of the passengers, 18 year-old Malakai Saddington, had shared videos appearing to show dangerous driving.

Those clips have since been removed.

The Independent reported another of those killed, 23 year-old Jakub Matusiak, had also posted joyriding footage.

TikTok said its policies prohibit content that could cause significant physical harm, including dangerous driving.

Cleveland Police’s investigation continues, with more UK news to follow.