UK urges social media to remove dangerous driving content after fatal crash

The UK government has urged social media platforms to remove content celebrating dangerous driving following a fatal crash in Teesside that killed two police officers and five young people. The call to action came as Defence Minister Luke Pollard stated that platforms must "step up" and use their own powers to take down such material before regulatory enforcement becomes necessary. The collision occurred in the early hours of Saturday, August 22, 2026. Cleveland Police had initiated a pursuit of a Volkswagen Passat after it was spotted acting suspiciously and linked to numerous incidents. The car, believed to be using cloned plates, activated an ANPR camera.