Encouraging Self-Harm Online Will Become Criminal Offence Under UK’s Online Safety Bill

Encouraging Self-Harm Online Will Become Criminal Offence Under UK’s Online Safety Bill
File photo of a child using a laptop computer, dated May 26, 2022. Dominic Lipinski/PA Media
Alexander Zhang
Updated:

Online encouragement of self-harm will be criminalised under an updated version of the Online Safety Bill, the UK government has said.

Culture secretary Michelle Donelan said the update would create a new offence that would target communications that encourage someone to physically harm themselves, making it illegal to do so, and bringing it in line with communications that encourage suicide, which are already illegal.