After the suicide of two young people in Capelle aan den IJssel last week, the House of Representatives called for a quick ban on sharing victim images. There were several young people present at the location where both young people committed suicide, one day apart; others made videos of the immediate aftermath that were widely shared online, according to police.
“We increasingly see that young people not only film images of serious incidents, but also distribute them,” the national police leadership said in a written response. “They completely ignore the privacy of victims and relatives.”
Scarlet Hemkes, spokesperson for 113 Suicide Prevention, emphasizes that sharing images and texts about suicide entails major risks. “Publishing this type of content in an unsafe manner can be very harmful,” she says. “Vulnerable people who are already struggling with suicidal thoughts can become triggered by this. In some cases it can even lead to copying behavior.” Young people can also become accustomed to shocking and harmful images. “This can lead to a form of normalization, and that is dangerous,” says her colleague, researcher Saskia Mérelle.
Bill: one year in prison or a fine of 9,000 euros
What can be done to reverse this bad film and social media behavior? This week, PRO and CDA submitted an initiative law that criminalizes the publication and distribution of images of accidents and violent crimes. Perpetrators risk a fine of 9,000 euros or a maximum of one year in prison. The bill had been in the making for years and was resubmitted on Thursday after earlier advice from the Council of State. “The trigger is an accumulation of incidents,” a PRO spokesperson explains. “We have seen for years that people pick up their phones in the event of serious accidents and violent crimes, instead of lending a helping hand.”
Both parties considered the deterrent and normative effect of a law necessary. “We want to prevent you from seeing the images of something terrible that happened to your child or mother on Facebook before the police have been able to reach you,” said the PRO spokesperson. Journalists who report on these types of incidents are explicitly excluded.
According to the private member’s bill, not only the first person to publish is punishable, but also anyone who further distributes the images via social media or in group apps. Where exactly the limit lies when forwarding in small groups is still being worked out with the ministries involved. Juvenile criminal law applies to minors, but the petitioners hope that young people will also feel the law. “If you know that this could result in a penalty, you will hopefully think a few times before picking up your phone,” said the PRO spokesperson. It is not yet known when the bill will be debated in the House of Representatives.
‘Spreading must stop with you’
Agencies and experts emphasize that a broad approach is needed. According to the national police, “parents, caregivers and education” have an important role in preventing the filming and sharing of major events.
113 Suicide Prevention launched the campaign in December Sharing makes a differencewhich should make young people aware of the impact of what they share online; particularly content of suicidal behavior or self-harm. Researcher Saskia Mérelle: “Just as young people are educated about sexual health, they should also learn about the consequences of sharing or viewing disturbing images.”
Marijke van der Zalm, social safety advisor at the School & Safety Foundation with specific expertise in online behavior, sees that schools are often confronted with such images. “We certainly get those signals from schools,” she says. “Things that happen outside school then end up in the school. And that creates insecurity.”
According to Van der Zalm, the solution starts with setting a clear standard. “Making, sharing and distributing these types of images is unacceptable. That message must come from both home and school.” She sees that young people are often not aware of the impact. “The brain is in full development. They do not always understand the seriousness.” The core of her message to schools is that they make it clear to students: the spreading must stop with you. “And: even if you did not create the images yourself, but do forward or like them, you are partly responsible.”
She is cautious about whether criminalization is the solution. “It is also about social norms, peer pressure, wanting to belong and digital resilience. You cannot solve this with criminal law alone.”
What she does see as a structural solution is media literacy as a permanent part of education. “Learning to use social media is now just as important as learning to read, write and calculate.” And the role of parents should not be underestimated. “They have the primary task of raising children and teaching them good manners.”
