UK Defence Minister Luke Pollard is calling on social media companies to immediately remove videos that celebrate dangerous driving, following a tragic incident that claimed the lives of two police officers and five passengers.

The minister's appeal comes after a viral trend of users posting content depicting hazardous driving practices, including traveling the wrong way down roads. The urgency of the situation was underscored by a fatal crash near Middlesbrough on Saturday, where a car traveling the wrong way down a dual carriageway collided with a police vehicle, resulting in the deaths of all occupants in both vehicles.

Pollard stated that social media platforms possess the capability to remove such content and adjust their algorithms to prevent its promotion. He highlighted a financial incentive for users to post "outrageous content" that garners significant views. The government has reportedly communicated its concerns to social media firms, emphasizing their awareness of the content on their platforms and the functioning of their algorithms.

A Downing Street spokeswoman condemned the "glorification of dangerous driving for clips and entertainment" as "utterly disgraceful." The culture secretary has asserted that platforms must remove such footage in accordance with their legal obligations, with the regulator Ofcom having government backing to act against non-compliant companies.

While the Online Safety Act addresses content featuring illegal activity, its interpretation can be complex. Video content depicting illegal acts is not automatically illegal itself, leaving social networks to determine and act upon flagged content based on their own policies and legal obligations. TikTok confirmed its policies prohibit content that could cause significant physical harm, including dangerous driving, and stated it is actively removing violating videos and accounts.

TikTok reported that between January and March 2026, 99.8% of content removed for violating their policies was proactively taken down. The company is removing videos not necessarily because they are deemed illegal, but because they breach the platform's terms of service. The BBC has reached out to Meta and X for comment on their policies and actions regarding such content.

The tragic crash on Saturday involved an 18-year-old believed to be a passenger in the vehicle traveling the wrong way. Videos appearing to show dangerous driving, which were reportedly shared from a TikTok account linked to one of the passengers, have since been removed. The victims included PC Tom Clough, 38, and PC Matthew Blades, 37, who were killed when their vehicle was struck by a Volkswagen Passat.

The incident raises ongoing questions about the responsibility of social media platforms in moderating content that can incite or glorify dangerous behavior, and the effectiveness of current legislation and platform policies in preventing real-world harm.