The Met Police has decided to significantly reduce the number of knife images shared on its social media pages amid serious concerns that the posts were causing harm.
Between July 2020 and August 2021, the force shared more than 2,000 images of knives on its social media accounts following seizures and knife amnesties.
While images of zombie knives and machetes were designed to shock, young people working under the banner of the Young People’s Action Group (YPAG) warned that the approach could actually be increasing danger by striking fear in communities.
The Met Police said working with young people has been “invaluable” in giving them insight into how they communicate about knife crime.
Under the updated policy, images of seized knives will only be published when “absolutely necessary” to inform the public, and only with prior approval. Any images shared must be placed in context, with an emphasis on the work of officers and successful interventions rather than on the weapons themselves.
Bipin Khanal, a former young adviser to London’s Violence Reduction Unit, said the change in policy was a “massive win” for the YPAG.
“This is a clear example of a public body institution, often criticised for not listening to people, actually listening and engaging with the communities it’s meant to serve,” he said.
“This change in policy was not just a massive win for the YPAG, it was massive win for those voices often unheard.”
Police forces across the country, including Thames Valley and West Midlands, have previously decided to stop sharing images of seized knives on social media due to a growing body of evidence showing the practice can have a negative impact.
In 2023, the YPAG carried out a series of consultation sessions to share learning with young people, frontline police officers, and members of the community.
While the study found that the impact of knife imagery was not universal, further research showed it had a more profound impact on some young people affected by violence. For vulnerable young people, seeing images of knives made them feel unsafe and scared about where they live.
A small number of young people even admitted they would be more likely to carry a knife after seeing images of what had been confiscated in their area.
Met officers heard directly from the YPAG that social media images are shared among young people online and can lead others to pick up bigger weapons.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matt Ward, who led the Met’s work with YPAG, said: “Working with the Young People’s Action Group has been invaluable. Their insight and honesty have helped us rethink how we communicate about knife crime, ensuring our approach focuses on reassurance, prevention, and positive outcomes.
“This is a clear example of how listening to young people in our communities can drive meaningful change. We’re remain absolutely committed to tackling knife crime and this is another step we have taken to help make London safer for everyone."
Lib Peck, Director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit, said: “We have made listening to and working with young people front and centre of our approach and the issue of knife imagery and its impact on communities is one we consistently heard.
“Our Young People’s Action Group took this campaign right to the heart of the Met, sharing what they heard and what they learned from young people. They also went armed with ideas and solutions to support the Met’s approach to communicating what it does effectively with communities.
“We really welcome the Met’s engagement with our young people on this and its decision to change its policy and goes to show what can be achieved listening to and working side by side with young people.”
