Youth Select Committee inquiry into youth violence and social media
17 December 2024
Ministers and expert witnesses gave evidence on 13 and 14 December as part of this year’s Youth Select Committee inquiry.
The twelve Youth Select Committee members heard from expert individuals and ministers to better understand young people’s exposure to violent content on social media platforms. This includes knife crime, gun crime, and gang-related activity, committed by or against under-18s.
The witnesses included:
- Dame Diana Johnson MP, the Home Office Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention.
- Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Future Digital Economy and Online Safety at the Department for Science Innovation and Technology.
- Researchers and academics from the Alan Turing and Oxford Internet Institutes.
Representatives from third sector organisations were in attendance. These included: NSPCC, Power the Fight, The Social Switch Project, Youth Endowment Fund, Police Foundation, Childnet International, and Ben Kinsella Trust.
Wania Eshaal Ahmad (Yorkshire and Humber), Chair of the Youth Select Committee, said:
"Youth violence is a topic which is very close to my heart as I have seen first-hand the huge impact that it has on young people and communities.
"It is essential to listen to young people’s thoughts and experiences on the complex issue of youth violence, specifically in relation to social media, as it will allow us to shape meaningful policies that genuinely reflect the needs and realities of today's youth. The Youth Select Committee understands the need for contributions from all walks of life and acknowledges that sharing these thoughts can be challenging, however, every voice adds depth to our research and understanding of this vital issue - this understanding will be critical in driving real, lasting change across the UK."
The Committee invites young people to submit their own experiences with social media content that depicts serious or weapon-based violence. You can submit written contributions by midnight on 16 January 2025 by emailing: youthselectcommittee@parliament.uk.