Report evidence summary
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised. 16
Action
Restricted global sales of high-concentration sodium nitrite to Amazon Business customers.
Stated by Amazon UK Services Ltd. Stated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source
Action
Participate in cross-government suicide-prevention work and continue collaborating with the Home Office and Department of Health and Social Care to explore prevention options.
Stated by ACC Stated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source
Action
Support the National Crime Agency’s investigation into the supply of sodium nitrite, including collaboration with prosecuting and international authorities.
Stated by ACC Stated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source
Action
Discuss regulation and restriction of sodium nitrate and nitrite with the Home Office Chemical Reporting Team.
Stated by ACC Stated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source
Action
Work with Government colleagues to create and implement actions restricting access to online pro-suicide and self-harm content.
Stated by ACC Stated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source
Action
Publish final Children’s Access Assessment Guidance and the main statement on children’s safety duties.
Stated by Ofcom Stated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source
Action
Engage with in-scope services through ongoing regulatory supervision and support them toward compliance.
Stated by Ofcom Stated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source
Action
Publish the final illegal-harms statement and associated guidance after completing the consultation.
Stated by Ofcom Stated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source
Action
Publish the consultation on protecting children, including draft access-assessment, risk-assessment and child-protection materials.
Stated by Ofcom Stated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source
Action
Submit the illegal-harms Codes of Practice to the Secretary of State and progress them through the statutory approval process.
Stated by Ofcom Stated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source
Action
Publish and consult on illegal-harms risk guidance, risk profiles, draft Codes of Practice and illegal-content judgements guidance.
Stated by Ofcom Stated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source
Action
Lead a cross-government and cross-sector group to identify and proactively tackle emerging suicide methods, prioritising sodium nitrite.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care Stated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source
Action
Collaborate with international and domestic partners to limit access to suicide methods, share evidence, and tackle suppliers of harmful substances.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care Stated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source
Action
Implement suicide-related Search information boxes with the Samaritans, linking users to authoritative support and helplines.
Stated by Google UK Limited Stated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source
Action
Enact the Online Safety Act, establishing illegal-content, child-safety and search-service duties covering suicide and self-harm material.
Stated by Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Stated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source
Action
Work closely with Ofcom to accelerate implementation of the online safety regulatory framework.
Stated by Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Stated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source See 13 more actions Respondent positions A position is what a recipient says about a concern when it does not describe a specific action. 13
Position
Existing UK store policies prohibit high-concentration sodium nitrite sales, so the product is unavailable for purchase in the UK.
Stated by Amazon UK Services Ltd. Existing arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed. View source
Position
Government, led by the Home Office and Department of Health and Social Care, is responsible for cross-government suicide-prevention work.
Stated by ACC Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action. View source
Position
Existing proportionate police, health-professional and cross-government measures are considered an appropriate response to identified suicide risk.
Stated by ACC Existing arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed. View source
Position
Ofcom is responsible for regulating online services and enforcing Online Safety Act duties concerning suicide and self-harm content.
Stated by ACC Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action. View source
Position
Police cannot generally seize suspected self-harm items because entry powers are legally limited and household items are ubiquitous.
Stated by ACC Unable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action. View source
Position
National monitoring of online pro-suicide forums is not undertaken because it is resource-intensive, lacks a clear legal basis, and raises data-processing concerns.
Stated by ACC Unable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action. View source
Position
The National Crime Agency considers monitoring online pro-suicide forums outside its mission and strategic priorities.
Stated by ACC Outside remitThe respondent said that this matter was outside its role or authority. View source
Position
Ofcom cannot enforce regulated services’ new duties until required consultations, Codes of Practice, parliamentary approval and other implementation steps are completed.
Stated by Ofcom Unable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action. View source
Position
Responsibility for substance supply or marketing falls within Ofcom’s remit only where the activity is covered by Online Safety Act content or activity duties.
Stated by Ofcom Outside remitThe respondent said that this matter was outside its role or authority. View source
Position
The Border Agency leads on preventing drug imports at UK borders; the NCA may provide further information on related law enforcement.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action. View source
Position
Detailed information on how the Online Safety Act addresses illegal and harmful suicide content should be obtained from DSIT.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action. View source
Position
Forums hosted outside the UK may prevent successful prosecution because of jurisdiction and enforcement issues.
Stated by Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Unable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action. View source
Position
Ofcom is responsible for online safety regulation and will recommend measures for search services and relevant online services.
Stated by Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action. View source See 12 more positions
× Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of prominent signposting to organisations providing suicide-prevention help
Wider context from the report “(6) No prominent signposting is in place to organisations from whom help is available to prevent suicide .
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Internet availability and delivery of an unspecified item to individual users in the UK
Wider context from the report “(9) The availability of ████████ through the internet and its delivery to individual users in the UK with a non-commercial or agricultural use.
” Is this part of a recurring concern? No recurring-concern membership is currently published.
Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Open chatrooms permitting the exchange of information and methods that encourage, assist, counsel or procure suicide
Wider context from the report “(3) ████████ is a forum that permits material to be exchanged and reviewed within its open chatrooms whereby suicide is encouraged, assisted, counselled and procured through the provision and exchange of information and methods .
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Failure of effective border and customs controls for delivery of an unspecified item to UK users
Wider context from the report “(10) The ability for UK users to purchase ████████ through Amazon in the United States and to take delivery in the United Kingdom without effective border and/or custom controls .
” Is this part of a recurring concern? No recurring-concern membership is currently published.
Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of age or other access restrictions for children, vulnerable teenagers and vulnerable adults
Wider context from the report “(5) No age or other restrictions are in place to prevent access to children, vulnerable teenagers and vulnerable adults .
” Is this part of a recurring concern? No recurring-concern membership is currently published.
Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Failure to effectively remove posts containing details of suicide methods
Wider context from the report “(7) Posts are made by users containing details of methods of suicide without any effective administration to remove such harmful content .
” Open source report
×
Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Restricted global sales of high-concentration sodium nitrite to Amazon Business customers.
Verbatim wording from the response “At Amazon we work hard to earn and maintain customer trust, meaning that safety is a top priority for us. Last year, we invested more than $1.2 billion to protect our stores and our customers, building robust safety and compliance programs. We are constantly iterating and improving upon our approach. Since October 2022, we have globally restricted the sale of high concentration sodium nitrite to Amazon Business customers (which is solely focussed on business-to-business transactions) to minimize the potential for product misuse. Therefore, in countries where Amazon Business is not yet available or where local policies prohibit such sale (such as the UK store), high concentration sodium nitrite is not available for purchase.” Source location Response from Amazon UK
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Participate in cross-government suicide-prevention work and continue collaborating with the Home Office and Department of Health and Social Care to explore prevention options.
Verbatim wording from the response “Recognising the importance of informed responses, the Steering Group have disseminated briefing materials to all NPCC force and regional suicide prevention leads. In June 2023, ACC ████████ wrote to all Chief Constables, highlighting the need for preparedness in addressing sodium nitrite related challenges. The Steering Group actively participates in cross-government efforts to address this suicide method. Our focus is on reducing access to sodium nitrate and limiting public awareness of its use in suicides, consistent with national strategies. While the Steering Group plays a crucial role in suicide prevention strategy, it is important to note that the quality and extent of crime investigation, including the investigation of the death in question, are matters for individual Chief Constables. As” Source location Response from British Transport Police
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Support the National Crime Agency’s investigation into the supply of sodium nitrite, including collaboration with prosecuting and international authorities.
Verbatim wording from the response “In collaboration with experts from the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), Home Office and other key stakeholders, NPCC Suicide Prevention Steering Group members have raised awareness and informed responses across the policing sector regarding the emerging trend of Sodium Nitrate and Nitrite use in suicides. We have also supported the National Crime Agency, which is conducting a criminal investigation into the supply of Sodium Nitrite by a specific foreign national and working closely with the CPS and international authorities.” Source location Response from British Transport Police
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Discuss regulation and restriction of sodium nitrate and nitrite with the Home Office Chemical Reporting Team.
Verbatim wording from the response “In the UK Sodium Nitrate and Nitrite are reportable substances (Sodium Nitrate as an Explosive Precursor and Sodium Nitrite as a Reportable Poison) under the Poisons Act. Given recent events, ACC ████████ has discussed the regulation or restriction of Sodium Nitrate and Nitrite with the Home Office’s Chemical Reporting Team and the Dept of Health and Social Care have taken work forward to ensure as far as possible that both Sodium Nitrate and Nitrite is not sold to individuals. Legal suppliers have been directed to mix the substances with other products namely salt which will lead to putting upon ingestion. We have been advised that there are no current plans to change Sodium Nitrate or Nitrite status from 'reportable'. The Home Office, in collaboration with legitimate suppliers, is actively challenging suspicious sales.” Source location Response from British Transport Police
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Work with Government colleagues to create and implement actions restricting access to online pro-suicide and self-harm content.
Verbatim wording from the response “ACC ████████ is aware of and remains concerned of the number of on line suicide and self harm content sites. Sites such as Sanctioned-Suicide are incredibly concerning and as a result the NPCC have been working closely with Government colleagues to create and implement actions of which there are many to reduce and restrict access to such websites.
The Government’s new five-year Suicide Prevention Strategy for England, recently launched last year, contains numerous actions that will enable all relevant and influential organisations to support and achieve Government ambition. Whilst the Government is taking the lead in Suicide Prevention across England, working in collaboration with partners including law enforcement to limit access, share research and evidence and lessons learnt including responding to and managing suppliers we will deliver on the actions outlined in the Strategy.” Source location Response from British Transport Police
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Publish final Children’s Access Assessment Guidance and the main statement on children’s safety duties.
Verbatim wording from the response “Regulated services will have three months to carry out Children’s Access Assessments after we publish our final Guidance. If they conclude that they are likely to be accessed by children, then they will have to carry out Children’s Risk Assessments. We intend to publish our final Guidance on Children’s Access Assessments in early 2025. Our main statement on the Children’s Safety Duties will follow in Spring 2025. This will allow services to complete their initial Children’s Access Assessments and determine whether they need to comply with the children’s safety duties, before the requirement to carry out Children’s Risk Assessments comes into force.” Source location Response from Ofcom
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Engage with in-scope services through ongoing regulatory supervision and support them toward compliance.
Verbatim wording from the response “In the meantime, we are already encouraging in-scope service providers to take meaningful steps to improve safety on their platforms. To this end, we are committed to driving industry improvements by engaging with the largest and riskiest services via continuous ‘regulatory supervision.’” Source location Response from Ofcom
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Publish the final illegal-harms statement and associated guidance after completing the consultation.
Verbatim wording from the response “After Ofcom’s illegal harms consultation and statement” Source location Response from Ofcom
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Publish the consultation on protecting children, including draft access-assessment, risk-assessment and child-protection materials.
Verbatim wording from the response “Phase Two:” Source location Response from Ofcom
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Submit the illegal-harms Codes of Practice to the Secretary of State and progress them through the statutory approval process.
Verbatim wording from the response “The Online Safety Act requires Ofcom to submit our Codes of Practice on illegal harms to the Secretary of State and to publish associated guidance within 18 months of Royal Assent. Once we issue our statement, services will have three months to undertake their illegal content risk assessments. At this point we will also submit the Codes of Practice to the Secretary of State, which, subject to their approval, are to be laid in Parliament for 40 days.” Source location Response from Ofcom
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Publish and consult on illegal-harms risk guidance, risk profiles, draft Codes of Practice and illegal-content judgements guidance.
Verbatim wording from the response “Phase One: The first step in this was the publication of the Consultation: Protecting people from illegal harms online (‘illegal harms consultation’) on 9 November 2023. As part of this consultation, we published proposals for Codes of Practice which set out how services can comply with their illegal content duties in the Act.⁵ We also published draft Illegal Content Judgements Guidance on how services can identify illegal suicide and illegal self-harm content.” Source location Response from Ofcom
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lead a cross-government and cross-sector group to identify and proactively tackle emerging suicide methods, prioritising sodium nitrite.
Verbatim wording from the response “The Department leads a cross-government and cross-sector group established specifically to identify and proactively tackle emerging methods of suicide. This involves close working across government and with others to ensure we are taking rapid, targeted action to address these methods, and has been prioritising tackling sodium nitrite. Through this group’s close working, there are currently over 30 live actions and interventions that collectively are:” Source location Response from Department of Health and Social Care
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Collaborate with international and domestic partners to limit access to suicide methods, share evidence, and tackle suppliers of harmful substances.
Verbatim wording from the response “I would like to assure you that the Government remains concerned about the prevalence of suicide and self-harm content online. The Government is taking a leading role in tackling methods of suicide, collaborating with partners across the world in policy, law enforcement and society more broadly to limit access, and share research, evidence and lessons learned. There are multiple actions in place to reduce and restrict access to this website, and others like it. This will include seeking to tackle at source the suppliers of harmful substances for the purposes of suicide.” Source location Response from Department of Health and Social Care
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Implement suicide-related Search information boxes with the Samaritans, linking users to authoritative support and helplines.
Verbatim wording from the response “• As a further measure to support both vulnerable users and the organisations they turn to for help, Google Search has taken proactive steps by working with the Samaritans to implement “OneBoxes” which display prominently in response to suicide-related queries. These information boxes are designed to provide users with quick and easy access to authoritative resources and support for mental health needs, including a 24 hour helpline and links to the Samaritans’ official website. We also note that when users search specifically for the Site, our systems will surface this Samaritans OneBox, with a phone number for national hotlines.” Source location Response from Google
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Enact the Online Safety Act, establishing illegal-content, child-safety and search-service duties covering suicide and self-harm material.
Verbatim wording from the response “First and foremost, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Chloe. The government recognises that the internet can, in some cases, be used to share and access appalling content with devastating consequences. As you may know, the act received Royal Assent in October last year. This legislation will force companies to take more accountability for the safety of their users. I will address matters (2)-(8) from the report in my response, as per my department's remit and having engaged with the Ministry of Justice on the areas which fall into their remit.” Source location Response from DSIT
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Work closely with Ofcom to accelerate implementation of the online safety regulatory framework.
Verbatim wording from the response “Every suicide is a tragedy, and it is essential that the vital protections delivered for users by the act come into force as soon as possible. My department is working closely with Ofcom to ensure that the implementation of the framework is as short as possible and all users, especially vulnerable users, get the online protections they so greatly need and deserve.” Source location Response from DSIT
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Existing UK store policies prohibit high-concentration sodium nitrite sales, so the product is unavailable for purchase in the UK.
Verbatim wording from the response “At Amazon we work hard to earn and maintain customer trust, meaning that safety is a top priority for us. Last year, we invested more than $1.2 billion to protect our stores and our customers, building robust safety and compliance programs. We are constantly iterating and improving upon our approach. Since October 2022, we have globally restricted the sale of high concentration sodium nitrite to Amazon Business customers (which is solely focussed on business-to-business transactions) to minimize the potential for product misuse. Therefore, in countries where Amazon Business is not yet available or where local policies prohibit such sale (such as the UK store), high concentration sodium nitrite is not available for purchase.” Source location Response from Amazon UK
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Government, led by the Home Office and Department of Health and Social Care, is responsible for cross-government suicide-prevention work.
Verbatim wording from the response “ACC ████████ is aware of and remains concerned of the number of on line suicide and self harm content sites. Sites such as Sanctioned-Suicide are incredibly concerning and as a result the NPCC have been working closely with Government colleagues to create and implement actions of which there are many to reduce and restrict access to such websites.
The Government’s new five-year Suicide Prevention Strategy for England, recently launched last year, contains numerous actions that will enable all relevant and influential organisations to support and achieve Government ambition. Whilst the Government is taking the lead in Suicide Prevention across England, working in collaboration with partners including law enforcement to limit access, share research and evidence and lessons learnt including responding to and managing suppliers we will deliver on the actions outlined in the Strategy.” Source location Response from British Transport Police
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Existing proportionate police, health-professional and cross-government measures are considered an appropriate response to identified suicide risk.
Verbatim wording from the response “ACC ████████ believes that where necessary, proportionate and reasonable steps within the law are being taken to identify imports of Sodium Nitrate and Nitrite and other emerging novel suicide methods and that Police forces and health professionals continue to provide an appropriate response and support to those identified at risk. The NPCC remains committed to working with the Home Office and DHSC, who lead cross-government work on Suicide Prevention, to explore all options to prevent avoidable deaths and hope that reasonable and appropriate reporting is supported and adhered to at all times with supportive and appropriate links to organisations that can, are able and do support those who may find themselves in crisis at any time https://www.samaritans.org/about-samaritans/media-guidelines/” Source location Response from British Transport Police
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Ofcom is responsible for regulating online services and enforcing Online Safety Act duties concerning suicide and self-harm content.
Verbatim wording from the response “OFCOM is the regulator of the new Online Safety Act with responsibility to make online services safer for the people who use them. Services that fall under their remit will have to follow certain rules including protecting users from illegal content and activity online as well as protecting children from harmful content. This includes encouraging self harm and/or suicide. The Act covers over 130 ‘priority offences’ with main duties in regards to the Act relating to illegal content for services to assess risk of harm arising from our activity on the service taking proportionate steps to manage and mitigate risk. This includes preventing users from encountering content amounting to one of the offences and search services minimising risk of users encountering content amounting to an offence. Services also have duties to swiftly take down certain types of non priority legal content.” Source location Response from British Transport Police
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Police cannot generally seize suspected self-harm items because entry powers are legally limited and household items are ubiquitous.
Verbatim wording from the response “Regarding police powers of entry, search, and seizure, Section 19 of PACE allows for the seizure of ‘evidence’ when an offence is established or suspected. However, the offence of Encouraging or Assisting Suicide, as per the Suicide Act 1961 (amended 2010) is complex. This is particularly true when the perpetrator operates from outside the UK, and/or the 'victim' is an active and willing participant. In such scenarios, the law is unclear, and there is no power of entry to a victim's premises unless an immediate threat to life is believed to exist under Section 17 of PACE. Identifying and seizing potential self-harm items in a typical household is impractical due to the ubiquity of such items.” Source location Response from British Transport Police
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation National monitoring of online pro-suicide forums is not undertaken because it is resource-intensive, lacks a clear legal basis, and raises data-processing concerns.
Verbatim wording from the response “ACC ████████ has engaged with various Law Enforcement partners in UK Law Enforcement regarding the monitoring of on-line pro-suicide forums. However, this is resource-intensive and at present there is no national agency charged with this responsibility and in any event we believe there is no legal basis for a police force to pursue such an initiative. Such monitoring would involve a large number of forums, many of which do not facilitate crime, raising significant lawful data processing issues, including whether it amounts to a Bulk Personal Dataset or would require a Directed Surveillance Authority and a potential disproportionate interference under Article 8.” Source location Response from British Transport Police
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation The National Crime Agency considers monitoring online pro-suicide forums outside its mission and strategic priorities.
Verbatim wording from the response “In fact the National Crime Agency (NCA) have stated that this type of activity is not consistent with the NCA’s overall mission of combatting serious and organised crime or the significant submissions of the NCA strategy in particular in respect of degrading the most harmful organised crime groups. There is also a lack of fit with the Strategic Priorities set for the NCA by the Home Secretary.” Source location Response from British Transport Police
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Ofcom cannot enforce regulated services’ new duties until required consultations, Codes of Practice, parliamentary approval and other implementation steps are completed.
Verbatim wording from the response “Although the Act is now law, there are numerous procedural steps needed for the new regime to be fully implemented, and these steps need to be completed before services’ legal duties under the regime – and Ofcom’s ability to enforce those duties – come into force. These steps include, for example, the completion of public consultations (the first is currently open for illegal harms); services understanding and managing the risks of harm to their users; and Parliament approving Ofcom’s final Codes of Practices. We explain our plans to implement the regime below.” Source location Response from Ofcom
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Responsibility for substance supply or marketing falls within Ofcom’s remit only where the activity is covered by Online Safety Act content or activity duties.
Verbatim wording from the response “Ofcom would only have a role in connection with the prevention of supply or marketing of particular substances within the UK insofar as this relates to a type of content or activity that would be caught under duties in the Online Safety Act. Based on the information available in the report, it is not clear that material relating specifically to the supply or marketing of the substance itself would fall in scope of the duties under the Act.” Source location Response from Ofcom
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation The Border Agency leads on preventing drug imports at UK borders; the NCA may provide further information on related law enforcement.
Verbatim wording from the response “I note that the Home Office is a recipient of this report and for your concerns around border and/or custom controls, I refer you to the Border Agency as the lead on preventing the importation of drugs at UK borders. A priority of the Government’s 10-year drug strategy is to “break drug supply chains.” The Government made further commitments in its Serious and Organised Crime Strategy 2023-2028, including to deliver an “end-to-end plan to tackle drugs supply”, which includes strengthening border controls on illicit commodities. The National Crime Agency (NCA), which leads and coordinates the UK law enforcement response to serious and organised crime and may also be able to provide further information on this topic.” Source location Response from Department of Health and Social Care
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Detailed information on how the Online Safety Act addresses illegal and harmful suicide content should be obtained from DSIT.
Verbatim wording from the response “To address your concerns about unfettered access to harmful content and restricting such content, we have made enquiries with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). Under the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA) all in-scope services such as user-to-user platforms and Search services will have new duties to prevent users being harmed by illegal content that they encounter via their services. User-to-user platforms will also need to take steps to reduce risks that their services are used to perpetrate offences. These duties extend to the unlawful supply, or offer to supply, of controlled drugs. Platforms and Search services will need to take steps to prevent users encountering illegal sale of drugs content via their services. Platforms will need to remove this content when it does appear.” Source location Response from Department of Health and Social Care
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Forums hosted outside the UK may prevent successful prosecution because of jurisdiction and enforcement issues.
Verbatim wording from the response “As you will be aware, under section 2(1) of the Suicide Act 1961 (as amended by section 59 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009) it is an offence for a person to do an act capable of encouraging or assisting the suicide or attempted suicide of another person, with the intention that their act will encourage or assist the other person to commit or attempt to commit suicide. The person committing the offence need not know the other person or even be able to identify them. An offence may be committed whether or not a suicide or attempted suicide takes place. Section 2(1) of the Suicide Act 1961 applies when the act of encouraging or assisting suicide is committed in England or Wales. Forums causing concern, such as the one mentioned in your report, are often hosted outside the UK, which may prevent successful prosecution due to issues related to jurisdiction and enforcement.” Source location Response from DSIT
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Ofcom is responsible for online safety regulation and will recommend measures for search services and relevant online services.
Verbatim wording from the response “Search services will also have targeted duties that focus on mitigating and minimising the risk of users encountering illegal search content, including illegal suicide and self-harm search content. This includes, under section 27(4), a requirement for search services to take or use, where proportionate, measures to be applied to the services' user support measures. The regulator now responsible for online safety, Ofcom, will recommend measures that search services can put in place to achieve these objectives. These could include removing results for sites that are known to host illegal suicide and self-harm content such as the forum you reference in your report, as well as signposting users that search for suicide methods away from this material and towards sources of support, which you highlight as a measure that was non-existent on the site Chloe had accessed.” Source location Response from DSIT
Open published response
Recipient-stated actions An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised. 13 1 Invested more than $1.2 billion in safety and compliance programmes protecting stores and customers.
Stated by Amazon UK Services Ltd. Stated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source 2 Deliver the organisation’s actions under the Government’s five-year Suicide Prevention Strategy for England.
Stated by ACC Stated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source 3 Raise awareness and inform policing responses to sodium nitrate and nitrite suicide risks through briefings and communications to police leads and Chief Constables.
Stated by ACC Stated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source 4 Use consultation evidence to finalise illegal-harms risk materials and policy proposals.
Stated by Ofcom Stated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source 5 Issue a call for evidence and consult on additional duties for categorised services, including user-empowerment measures.
Stated by Ofcom Stated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source 6 Continue monitoring the service’s accessibility to UK users.
Stated by Ofcom Stated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source 7 Grow internal expertise on suicide and self-harm harms.
Stated by Ofcom Stated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source 8 Continue engaging expert stakeholders, including government, law enforcement and charities, on suicide and self-harm risks.
Stated by Ofcom Stated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source 9 Implement the Online Safety Act regime, including the required regulatory procedures and enforcement framework.
Stated by Ofcom Stated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source 10 Publish the consultation on guidance for services providing pornographic content.
Stated by Ofcom Stated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source 11 Take coroners’ and experts’ evidence into account during continuing policy development.
Stated by Ofcom Stated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source 12 Operate the national near real-time suspected-suicide surveillance system to improve timely reporting and preventive action.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care Stated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source 13 Enforce Search content policies suppressing predictions and content that could facilitate suicide or serious immediate harm.
Stated by Google UK Limited Stated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 28 December 2023. View source Recipient positions A position is what a recipient says about a concern when they do not describe a specific action. 5 1 Individual Chief Constables are responsible for the quality and extent of investigations, including the investigation of the death concerned.
Stated by ACC Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action. View source 2 Each video-sharing platform provider decides which safety measures are appropriate and proportionate to protect children from potentially harmful videos.
Stated by Ofcom Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action. View source 3 Responsibility for regulating nitrates and nitrites rests with the FSA in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and FSS in Scotland.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action. View source 4 Specific Google Search queries should be directed to Google LLC, which provides Search to UK users.
Stated by Google UK Limited Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action. View source 5 Matters falling within the Ministry of Justice’s remit are addressed by that department rather than this department.
Stated by Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action. View source
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Invested more than $1.2 billion in safety and compliance programmes protecting stores and customers.
Verbatim wording from the response “At Amazon we work hard to earn and maintain customer trust, meaning that safety is a top priority for us. Last year, we invested more than $1.2 billion to protect our stores and our customers, building robust safety and compliance programs. We are constantly iterating and improving upon our approach. Since October 2022, we have globally restricted the sale of high concentration sodium nitrite to Amazon Business customers (which is solely focussed on business-to-business transactions) to minimize the potential for product misuse. Therefore, in countries where Amazon Business is not yet available or where local policies prohibit such sale (such as the UK store), high concentration sodium nitrite is not available for purchase.” Source location Response from Amazon UK
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Deliver the organisation’s actions under the Government’s five-year Suicide Prevention Strategy for England.
Verbatim wording from the response “ACC ████████ is aware of and remains concerned of the number of on line suicide and self harm content sites. Sites such as Sanctioned-Suicide are incredibly concerning and as a result the NPCC have been working closely with Government colleagues to create and implement actions of which there are many to reduce and restrict access to such websites.
The Government’s new five-year Suicide Prevention Strategy for England, recently launched last year, contains numerous actions that will enable all relevant and influential organisations to support and achieve Government ambition. Whilst the Government is taking the lead in Suicide Prevention across England, working in collaboration with partners including law enforcement to limit access, share research and evidence and lessons learnt including responding to and managing suppliers we will deliver on the actions outlined in the Strategy.” Source location Response from British Transport Police
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Raise awareness and inform policing responses to sodium nitrate and nitrite suicide risks through briefings and communications to police leads and Chief Constables.
Verbatim wording from the response “In collaboration with experts from the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), Home Office and other key stakeholders, NPCC Suicide Prevention Steering Group members have raised awareness and informed responses across the policing sector regarding the emerging trend of Sodium Nitrate and Nitrite use in suicides. We have also supported the National Crime Agency, which is conducting a criminal investigation into the supply of Sodium Nitrite by a specific foreign national and working closely with the CPS and international authorities.” Source location Response from British Transport Police
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Use consultation evidence to finalise illegal-harms risk materials and policy proposals.
Verbatim wording from the response “We are using the consultation process to help us finalise this work.” Source location Response from Ofcom
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Issue a call for evidence and consult on additional duties for categorised services, including user-empowerment measures.
Verbatim wording from the response “Phase Three: From late 2024, we will publish a call for evidence on additional duties on categorised services, which includes user empowerment measures that will apply to ‘Category 1’ services, followed by a full consultation on proposals in Q1 2025.” Source location Response from Ofcom
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Continue monitoring the service’s accessibility to UK users.
Verbatim wording from the response “Following reports¹ of alleged illegal and harmful suicide content on ████████, Ofcom contacted the service which subsequently announced via its website that UK users would be blocked. As of 31st January 2024, we are aware that the site is accessible by UK users. This is a situation which we will continue to monitor.” Source location Response from Ofcom
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Grow internal expertise on suicide and self-harm harms.
Verbatim wording from the response “As part of our preparatory work for implementation, we have been actively engaging with a range of expert stakeholders including government, law enforcement, and charities such as the Samaritans to develop our understanding, expertise and evidence base in relation to suicide and self-harm, and to ensure that we are aware of developing areas of risk. We have also been concentrating on growing our internal expertise in relation to this complex and important harms area. We will continue our programme of engagement with relevant experts as we consult on our initial proposals on how services can comply with their duties.” Source location Response from Ofcom
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Continue engaging expert stakeholders, including government, law enforcement and charities, on suicide and self-harm risks.
Verbatim wording from the response “As part of our preparatory work for implementation, we have been actively engaging with a range of expert stakeholders including government, law enforcement, and charities such as the Samaritans to develop our understanding, expertise and evidence base in relation to suicide and self-harm, and to ensure that we are aware of developing areas of risk. We have also been concentrating on growing our internal expertise in relation to this complex and important harms area. We will continue our programme of engagement with relevant experts as we consult on our initial proposals on how services can comply with their duties.” Source location Response from Ofcom
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Implement the Online Safety Act regime, including the required regulatory procedures and enforcement framework.
Verbatim wording from the response “We are currently in the process of putting in place regulation to implement the Online Safety regime. Until the relevant procedural steps outlined below are completed, the duties on regulated services are not yet fully in force. Further detail on Ofcom’s planned approach to online safety regulation is set out below. Whilst the regime is at this early stage, we are supporting all in scope services to be compliant with the provisions of the Act and intend to seek to engage constructively with services.” Source location Response from Ofcom
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Publish the consultation on guidance for services providing pornographic content.
Verbatim wording from the response “Phase Two: We also published our Consultation: Guidance for service providers publishing pornographic content on 5 December 2023, which includes draft guidance on age assurance and other duties for services providing pornographic content. This will be followed by a broader consultation on measures to protect children from encountering other harmful content, including legal suicide and self-harm content, in Spring 2024.” Source location Response from Ofcom
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Take coroners’ and experts’ evidence into account during continuing policy development.
Verbatim wording from the response “Evidence included in reports from coroners and other experts will play an important role in our policy proposals and response as we implement the regime, and we will of course take the evidence in your report into account as we continue our policy development. We hope that this response provides helpful information about the significant steps Ofcom is taking as we continue to work through the implementation of the Act.” Source location Response from Ofcom
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Operate the national near real-time suspected-suicide surveillance system to improve timely reporting and preventive action.
Verbatim wording from the response “The suicide prevention strategy for England published on 11 September 2023, identifies promoting online safety and tackling methods of suicide as priority areas for action. The Department has also launched a national near real time suspected suicide surveillance system in November 2023 to improve the timely reporting and action to prevent suicides. This will support the rollout of a new national alert system to notify schools, universities, and charities of emerging methods of suicide and risks.” Source location Response from Department of Health and Social Care
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Enforce Search content policies suppressing predictions and content that could facilitate suicide or serious immediate harm.
Verbatim wording from the response “• Google Search also enforce content policies on Search features, such as Autocomplete predictions, to prevent surfacing dangerous content and we design our systems to avoid” Source location Response from Google
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Individual Chief Constables are responsible for the quality and extent of investigations, including the investigation of the death concerned.
Verbatim wording from the response “Recognising the importance of informed responses, the Steering Group have disseminated briefing materials to all NPCC force and regional suicide prevention leads. In June 2023, ACC ████████ wrote to all Chief Constables, highlighting the need for preparedness in addressing sodium nitrite related challenges. The Steering Group actively participates in cross-government efforts to address this suicide method. Our focus is on reducing access to sodium nitrate and limiting public awareness of its use in suicides, consistent with national strategies. While the Steering Group plays a crucial role in suicide prevention strategy, it is important to note that the quality and extent of crime investigation, including the investigation of the death in question, are matters for individual Chief Constables. As” Source location Response from British Transport Police
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Each video-sharing platform provider decides which safety measures are appropriate and proportionate to protect children from potentially harmful videos.
Verbatim wording from the response “It is for each VSP provider to decide what safety measures to take that are appropriate and proportionate for protecting children on their service from videos containing potentially harmful material. Where we have concerns about the measures a platform has in place, we will consider taking further action to push improved outcomes for children. This may include, where appropriate, targeted supervision or the use of enforcement powers. Our learnings under the VSP regime will help us prepare for the broader online safety regime.” Source location Response from Ofcom
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Responsibility for regulating nitrates and nitrites rests with the FSA in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and FSS in Scotland.
Verbatim wording from the response “The regulations that cover the use of nitrates and nitrites in food sits with the FSA in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and in Scotland responsibility rests with Food Standards Scotland (FSS). Nitrates/nitrites are and remain important preservatives and are one of many ways that a food business can choose to hinder the growth of harmful micro-organisms. All food additives including nitrates and nitrites (E 249 – E 252) are subject to assimilated legislation, Regulation (EC) No. 1333/2008, on food additives, which establishes conditions of use for all food additives authorised in Great Britain. The group of nitrates/nitrites regulated include E 251 – Sodium Nitrate. The legislation sets out the acceptable conditions of use, the foods in which they may be used and where necessary, maximum permitted levels.” Source location Response from Department of Health and Social Care
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Specific Google Search queries should be directed to Google LLC, which provides Search to UK users.
Verbatim wording from the response “To the extent that you have any specific queries about Google Search please direct them to Google LLC, the entity that provides this service on behalf of UK users. Google LLC is a US company incorporated in Delaware, with its principal place of business at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, California, CA 94043, United States. Otherwise, if we can be of any further assistance on this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us.” Source location Response from Google
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Matters falling within the Ministry of Justice’s remit are addressed by that department rather than this department.
Verbatim wording from the response “First and foremost, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Chloe. The government recognises that the internet can, in some cases, be used to share and access appalling content with devastating consequences. As you may know, the act received Royal Assent in October last year. This legislation will force companies to take more accountability for the safety of their users. I will address matters (2)-(8) from the report in my response, as per my department's remit and having engaged with the Ministry of Justice on the areas which fall into their remit.” Source location Response from DSIT
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