Southport Inquiry: Violent material left online for weeks

Violent material was still available online two weeks after being reported in more than 80% of cases, a review for the Southport Inquiry has found.

The hearing was told a report examining the 'real-world accessibility' of violent content and weapons sales online found concerning material on platforms including X, TikTok and Instagram.

The public inquiry, which is in its second phase, is examining issues surrounding 'violence-fixated individuals' following the knife attack at a dance class in Southport on 29 July 2024.

Three girls were killed and 23 other children suffered physical or psychological injuries.

Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were killed in the attack at the Taylor Swift-themed dance class.

This phase of the inquiry is examining how the risks posed by violence-fixated individuals can be managed, and the role the internet and social media play in influencing and enabling them.

Nicholas Moss KC, counsel to the inquiry, said: "The report outlines the result of a single eight-hour search across a selection of online platforms including X, TikTok, Reddit, Instagram and Discord.

"It is right to recognise that there was a spectrum of material of concern.

"It ranges from material with violent overtones, but which might be argued to be newsworthy, to material which can fairly be categorised as very violent or strong gore material."

Moss said 98.9% of the material was publicly accessible and 92.3% was not subject to any age restrictions.

All of the material was reported to the platforms, but a week later 87.9% of it remained live, the inquiry heard.

Moss said 14 days after it had been reported, 83.8% of the content was still available.

He said the platform providers would be asked about the report and "what appears to be, in some cases, arguable delay and failures to remove the material even when it had been reported to them".

Representatives of platforms, including TikTok, Reddit, X and Alphabet, the parent company of Google, are expected to give evidence to the inquiry in November.

The first phase of the inquiry heard how Axel Rudakubana, who carried out the Southport knife attacks, had viewed degrading, violent and misogynistic material online which "fed" his fascination with violence.

In his report earlier this year, inquiry chairman Sir Adrian Fulford found the attack "could and should have been prevented".

William Chapman, representing the families of Elsie, Alice and Bebe, said Rudakubana was able to build an arsenal of weapons through the internet.

He said: "On one tab of his browser he could indulge in his lust for gore and on the other he could make it real by ordering what he wanted from online retailers.

"His access was unfettered.

"The internet played a pivotal role in what happened to the victims in this case.

"Whatever the current state of the evidence about the influence of the internet on young minds generally, action to limit its pernicious influence on those fascinated by violence cannot wait (for) academic studies."

The inquiry continues on Wednesday, when evidence is expected from a panel of experts who have reviewed six other cases of violence-fixated individuals to identify themes.

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