Knife crime: 'I'm not tech-savvy – but within hours I could buy an illegal knife on social media'

Knife crime: 'I'm not tech-savvy – but within hours I could buy an illegal knife on social media'

The ease with which individuals, particularly young people, can purchase dangerous weapons like knives through social media platforms has raised concerns. An undercover investigation revealed how accessible and prevalent the sale of illegal knives is online. Despite legislative efforts to restrict the availability of certain knives, the trade continues to thrive through encrypted messaging services like Telegram, where sellers offer a variety of weapons ranging from zombie knives to machetes.

Through setting up fake social media profiles and actively engaging with groups promoting illegal knives, it became evident that sellers were openly advertising their products on platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. These sellers directed potential buyers to their Telegram channels, where images, videos, and prices of knives were readily available. Additionally, buyers had the opportunity to provide feedback and participate in promotions, such as discounts on bulk orders and the chance to win free weapons, without any apparent age verification.

Efforts to curb the online sale of dangerous weapons have been limited. While legislation has been introduced to criminalize the ownership and sale of certain knives, the lack of age verification systems and oversight in social media groups remains a concern. The Home Office is planning to establish a registration scheme for online knife sellers, but the effectiveness of such measures in preventing underage individuals from accessing lethal blades remains uncertain.

The response from social media platforms regarding the issue has been mixed. Snapchat and TikTok have policies in place to prohibit the sale of weapons, with measures to remove violative content and support police investigations. Meta has also taken steps to ban the promotion and sale of weapons on its platforms, although further collaboration with authorities is needed to address the issue. Telegram, however, has not responded to inquiries, highlighting the challenges in regulating the sale of dangerous weapons on its platform.

Families affected by knife-related violence, like the Kanda family who lost their son Ronan to a tragic case of mistaken identity, continue to advocate for stricter measures to prevent similar incidents. The introduction of Ronan’s Law, aimed at imposing harsher penalties for selling knives to underage individuals, reflects the need for more comprehensive solutions to combat the online sale of lethal weapons. Despite these efforts, the accessibility of dangerous knives on social media underscores the ongoing threat posed by illicit weapon trading in online spaces

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