Britain's most senior police officer on drugs has criticised social media companies for not doing enough to tackle drug advertising, suggesting they would act faster if their own children were at risk. The comments come as research indicates one in four young people now see drugs advertised on their social media feeds.
Over the past six months, Radio 1 Newsbeat has investigated how social media platforms are being used to sell illegal drugs. The findings have prompted renewed calls for tech firms to remove dealer content more swiftly.
Fiona Spargo-Mabbs, whose son Daniel died after taking MDMA, is leading a campaign by a group of mothers who have all lost a child to illegal drugs. They are demanding that social media companies take greater responsibility for policing their platforms.
The full investigation, 'Dealers in Your DMs', is available on Radio 1's iPlayer channel. Newsbeat continues to follow the issue on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
