Suicide forum linked to 50 UK deaths blocked to most users after Ofcom pressure
A pro-suicide forum which has been linked to dozens of deaths across the UK has restricted access to users following pressure from the online regulator Ofcom.
The forum, which we are not naming, was previously available online without any restrictions.
Last year ITV News revealed the site was linked to 21 deaths in the UK. Now it is believed to be more than 50.
It discusses methods of suicide and even offers users encouragement to do it.
The UK regulator Ofcom says it has contacted administrators for the site, thought to be based in the US and now the forum can only be viewed by UK users already signed up as members.
Anyone visiting the site, is now met with a banner saying content that violates the UK's new Online Safety Act will not be viewable to the public.
"We've made the decision to make all content unavailable in the UK for the time being," the banner reads.
But it is unclear whether new users from the UK can still apply for membership, while existing members in the UK do still have access.
Catherine Adenekan's son Joe Nihill was 23 when he died in Leeds in 2020, after exchanging dozens of messages in the online forum which explains methods of suicide.
She has since campaigned alongside her daughter in law Melanie Saville to have the site shut down, after a note Joe wrote shortly before his death read: "Please do you best in closing that website for anyone else."
In November 2020 Kevin McLoughlin, Senior Coroner for West Yorkshire (East), wrote to the Department of Health & Social Care following Mr Nihill's death saying the form "may be actively promoting a particular method of committing suicide and hence breaking the criminal law by assisting suicide.
"Consideration should be given to blocking its availability in the UK so as to negate this risk."
It has taken three years for action to be taken.
"It's a step in the right direction", said Melanie Saville, "but the content still exists and is there to be found.
"They need to remove all content and shut the site down completely. How many lives will be lost while the government tries to perfect the Online Safety Act?"