A Lancashire MP has backed a Government Bill which will attempt to stop TikTok videos made in prison being uploaded to social media.
Katherine Fletcher, the MP for South Ribble, said: “The public and particularly victims of crime must have confidence that images of those convicted of offences are not shown to the outside world to be commented on or celebrated.
“Importantly, the Bill will also force social media platforms to remove such content as their use would then be for illegal or unlawful purposes and against their terms of service.”
Ms Fletcher’s comments come as she proposals to stop harmful content filmed inside prisons from being uploaded to social media by sponsoring a government Bill.
It is not currently an offence for someone who is not in prison to upload content they have been sent by someone behind bars.
A private member’s Bill, being sponsored through the Commons by Conservative MP Ms Fletcher, proposes strengthening Section 40D of the Prison Act 1952 by closing this legal loophole, with the intention of safeguarding victims and ensuring prison security.
The proposed measures would criminalise the posting of video, photographs and audio recordings taken while in prison, regardless of whether the uploader is in custody.
It would also outlaw unauthorised filming of staff, as well as content captured by drones, with those found guilty liable to prosecution and an unlimited fine.
The Prison Media Bill will now receive government backing after passing its Second Reading on Friday.
Last year, 890 pieces of harmful prison content were found online and the Bill’s supporters hope the new legislation will compel social media companies to act more quickly to remove illegal content.
Prison content has often remained on social media platforms if it could not be proven that it had been uploaded from inside a prison’s walls.
Edward Argar, minister for prisons, parole and probation, said: “Tackling harmful content filmed behind bars is critical to our plan to protect the public and ensure the safety and security of our prisons.
“There is no place for such footage on the internet, and our priority is safeguarding the welfare of victims and our hardworking staff.
“Those who upload this illegal content will no longer have anywhere to hide.”
The Commons previously heard that one of the murderers of 18-year-old Jack Woodley had “made a TikTok video in which he raps about his sentence, implying that it is not serious”.
Mr Woodley was fatally stabbed in October 2021 after being “surrounded and isolated” by a group of youths in Houghton le Spring, Sunderland.
In the Commons last month, Paul Howell, the Conservative MP for Sedgefield, said the video had added to Mr Woodley’s mother’s distress and urged ministers to prevent prisoners sharing videos which could harm their victims’ families.
Mr Howell told MPs: “These problems have been horrifically exemplified by the case of my constituent Zoey McGill and her son Jack Woodley, who was tragically stabbed to death in 2021.
“These past few years have been incredibly challenging for Zoey.
“Although her son’s murderers were jailed for between eight and 17 years, one can imagine her horror when she discovered that one of them had made a TikTok video in which he raps about his sentence, implying that it is not serious, and he boasts of having a phone while wearing a designer t-shirt.”
The Bill will now proceed to the committee stage in the Commons.
It follows a £100 million investment in prison security, which has seen airport-style scanners installed to better prevent illegal mobile phones being smuggled by prisoners internally and new airspace restrictions making it illegal to fly a drone within 400m of a prison.
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