The Italian government is working on a law that would make it possible to impose up to five years in prison for people “glorifying” illegal activities online. The proposal comes after YouTubers crashed into a car while filming a video last week, killing a five-year-old child.
RL
Latest update:
6/19/23, 5:41 PM
Source:
The Guardian, Il Messagero
Manuel Proietti died on the way to hospital and his mother and sister were seriously injured after the rented Lamborghini crashed into the family’s Smart car on the outskirts of Rome. The crash last week reportedly happened when a group called ‘The Borderline’ took on a challenge to drive the luxury vehicle continuously for 50 hours.
LOOK. Italian Youtubers cause fatal accident with rented Lamborghini
There were four people between 20 and 23 years old in the Lamborghini SUV. The driver, who reportedly tested positive for cannabis, is under investigation for causing death by dangerous driving.
Anything for a few likes
The measure, if approved, would be an extension of an existing law targeting youth gangs. Andrea Ostellari, deputy justice minister, told Italian newspaper ‘Il Messaggero’ that the law was intended to combat “an emerging phenomenon” of young people who “incite violence” or who “commit crimes through digital channels to get a few ‘likes'” without taking into account the risks”. According to the newspaper, the YouTubers billed just under 30,000 euros per month, with increasingly extreme videos.
In response to the incident, ‘The Borderline’ closed its YouTube channel. The group, which had 600,000 subscribers, said it was “morally impossible” to continue with the initiative aimed at entertaining young people with wholesome entertainment. “What happened has left a deep wound in all of us, nothing will ever be the same again…our thoughts are only with Manuel.”
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