08/15/2023
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=680633024112314&id=100064968662601&mibextid=Nif5oz
Update – baby monkey torture videos and UK Online Safety Bill
In July, an important amendment to the UK Online Safety Bill to tackle animal torture videos, including those involving baby monkeys, was voted through by the House of Lords. This was a crucial development in our efforts to stop such horrific animal cruelty content on social media platforms. The Bill, however, still needs its Third reading in the House of Lords before going back to the House of Commons for final consideration of amendments. We have joined with other animal welfare and anti-trafficking organisations in writing to The Rt Hon Michelle Donelan, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, in urging the Government to keep this amendment in the Bill and extend it to wildlife trafficking:https://www.wcl.org.uk/docs/assets/uploads/Letter_to_Secretary_of_State_Online_Safety_Bill_clause_64_04.08.23.pdf
The outcry following the broadcast of the BBC documentary 'The Monkey Haters', that exposed online 'monkey torture gangs', has shown the strength of public and political feeling and revulsion about this issue. With the continuing posting of content, involving baby monkeys tortured and killed, in particular on Facebook, it is clear that self-regulation by the social media platforms is not working, and legislation is required to prevent this horrific content from being posted.
If you live in the UK, please look out for our Action Alert which we will be posting in the next few weeks asking you to contact your MP about the Online Safety Bill.
To watch the BBC documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx_RttkSIzA
[Photo: Infant southern pig-tailed macaque in captivity; Animal Friends Jogja [AFJ] /Action for Primates
