London:
Britain’s broadcasting regulator announced on Wednesday that it was investigating an online suicide forum related to about 100 deaths in the UK, using new powers to remove harmful materials from the Internet.
Offcom said that it was watching whether the service provider of the site “failed to take proper safety measures to protect its UK users from illegal content and activity”.
The Watchdog did not name the website or its host due to the “nature” of the material, but the BBC reported that it has been hosted in the United States and has tens of thousand members, including children.
The BBC stated that the site’s users discuss the methods of suicide, including sharing instructions about purchasing and using potentially fatal toxic chemicals.
The UK National Crime Agency and a suicide prevention Charity said that they believe the site is associated with 97 deaths in the UK.
The Toccom investigation is the first of an individual service provider under the UK’s Online Security Act 2023, aimed at protecting children, especially children.
Under the Act, it was revealed about it once after the service providers took down any illegal material by the middle of last month.
A statement said in a statement, “We have made several attempts to connect with this service provider in relation to our duties under the Act and issued a legally binding request to present a record of our illegal loss risk evaluation.”
“After receiving a limited response to our request, and unsatisfactory information about the steps being taken to protect the UK users from illegal materials, we have initiated an inquiry today whether the provisions are complying with their legal obligations under the Act.”
If he fails to comply with, the service provider may eventually look for a court order to force the provider to remove the material.
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The BBC said that it was established in 2018 by adding that some 50 suicides in Britain are associated with the stage.
Molly Rose Foundation named after 14 -year -old Molly Russell, who ended his life in 2017 after seeing suicidal content on social media, stated that it is estimated that the number of deaths is at least 97.
“We take the first steps to clamp on this horrific site, which exists only to help weaker people to end their lives,” said Chief Executive Officer Andy Baroz said.
“Every day it remains online. More weak people are at risk. We cannot delay in closing the site related to the deaths of about 100 people.
He said, “Toncom not only to firing from the initial gun, but does they work quickly and decisively to close this site once and for all,” he said.
The UK government data released on Wednesday showed that 5,690 suicides were registered in England last year, which was slightly more than 5,656 in 2023.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is published by a syndicated feed.)