Met Police to restrict knife images on its social media over fears they cause serious harm

"Between July 2020 and August 2021, the force shared more than 2,000 images of knives on its social media accounts following seizures and knife amnesties. While images of zombie knives and machetes were designed to shock, young people working under the banner of the Young People's Action Group (YPAG) warned that the approach could actually be increasing danger by striking fear in communities."

"Under the updated policy, images of seized knives will only be published when absolutely necessary to inform the public, and only with prior approval. Any images shared must be placed in context, with an emphasis on the work of officers and successful interventions rather than on the weapons themselves. Bipin Khanal, a former young adviser to London's Violence Reduction Unit, said the change in policy was a massive win for the YPAG."

"In 2023, the YPAG carried out a series of consultation sessions to share learning with young people, frontline police officers, and members of the community. While the study found that the impact of knife imagery was not universal, further research showed it had a more profound impact on some young people affected by violence. For vulnerable young people, seeing images of knives made them feel unsafe and scared about where they live."

Between July 2020 and August 2021 the Met Police posted over 2,000 images of seized knives on social media after seizures and knife amnesties. Young People's Action Group (YPAG) raised concerns that shock imagery, including zombie knives and machetes, could increase fear and danger for communities, particularly vulnerable young people. The updated policy restricts publishing images to cases where public information necessity and prior approval are clear, and requires contextual emphasis on officer work and successful interventions rather than on the weapons. Other forces had already stopped the practice, and 2023 consultations found varied but sometimes profound negative impacts on young people affected by violence.

Read at www.standard.co.uk