Social media is an unregulated space which allows the illegal wildlife trade to freely operate without repercussion. One study by the Alliance to Counter Crime Online found that it only took 'two clicks' to locate illegal wildlife trafficking on Facebook. Change is needed to make social media a safe place for animals.
We hope that the development of the UK Online Safety Act will include the implementation of greater measures to protect animals online.
We welcome the passing of this act but await clarification about what constitutes a 'low welfare' activity, and hope that it includes activities that directly provide the public with the opportunity to take close-contact photos with wild animals.