A BBC News investigation led by Angus Crawford and Tony Smith reveals that numerous families who have lost loved ones are calling on Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, to shut down a "sickening" website that disseminates videos of their deceased relatives' deaths. These families believe that the website poses a serious threat to society and immediate action must be taken to address this issue.
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03-17, 2025The website boasts over three million members and contains thousands of graphic photos and videos of real-life killings, suicides, and executions carried out by extremists. The BBC's investigation also revealed that some former members of the website later committed school shootings and murders. Out of caution, we are not disclosing the name of the website here, but its harmfulness cannot be ignored, highlighting the potential for real-world violence fueled by online content.
Under the Online Safety Act, Ofcom began this week to acquire new powers to crack down on illegal content, including material promoting terrorism or proscribed extremist organizations. All websites must now demonstrate that they have systems in place to remove illegal content. If they fail to do so, the regulator can obtain court orders to block platforms or impose fines of up to £18 million. However, critics argue that the legislation itself is inadequate and that Ofcom is not being forceful enough in its plans for how to regulate websites, thus creating a need for stronger enforcement mechanisms.
Mike Haines, whose brother David was murdered by ISIS in 2014, has his brother's unedited and complete execution video on the website. Mike Haines said the website is "sickening" and described its content as "horrific." He pointed out that the website has no effective age verification system and worries about the adverse effects it could have on children. He compared browsing the website to taking drugs, stating, "Once you have that first try, you want it again, you want to see more, and it gets more violent, it gets more gory, it gets more sickening."
Bethany Haines, David Haines' daughter, stated that the comments under the videos are appalling. "For years, I have been trying to track and report websites like this. I worry that one day my son will see the video of his grandfather." Mr. Haines stated that authorities must take immediate action. "Every second we delay in closing this website down, we are endangering our young people." This urgency underscores the profound emotional distress caused by the website's content.
Dr. Olivia Brown, a University of Bath researcher specializing in radicalization and extremism, stated that repeatedly watching such videos, especially those of school shootings, can desensitize users. "Solutions that originally seemed impossible may become a viable option for some people." The website also causes immense pain to grieving families, exacerbating their trauma and grief.
A video of skydiver Nathan O'Donoghue was placed in the website's "falling" category by the site's administrators. The 33-year-old from Cambridgeshire, an experienced skydiver, died last year in Pattaya, Thailand, after jumping from a 29-story tower when his parachute failed to open. A Thai friend was filming at the time, and the video was first posted on local social media. "Nathan was a much-loved member of our family," said his brother, Ed Harrison. "I just can't believe that anyone would be so callous as to share that video. I don't think these forum members think about their own families."
Ofcom stated that platforms must, starting today, have systems in place to remove illegal content. "We will not hesitate to take enforcement action where necessary against platforms that fail to meet the mark." The challenge facing Ofcom is that the death website is hosted in the United States, and its owners and administrators remain anonymous. Ofcom told us "the content is deeply disturbing," emphasizing the seriousness with which they are treating the matter.
The website's management team said in a statement that they "regularly receive reports from many government agencies and industry regulators." They stated that any reports from Ofcom "will be given our full attention." This response suggests a willingness to cooperate, but the effectiveness of their actions remains to be seen in addressing the harmful content on their platform.
