London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jul 06, 2025

Social media companies asked to archive evidence of war crimes

Social media companies asked to archive evidence of war crimes

Meta, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube have received notice from American politicians asking them to preserve content that could be used to prosecute war criminals.

US politicians have written to the bosses of Meta, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube to request that the companies archive content that includes potential evidence of Russian war crimes in Ukraine.

The letters were sent by four senior Democrats who chair powerful committees in the House of Representatives relating to oversight, foreign affairs and national security.

Although the letters are not equivalent to binding legal orders they are backed by considerable political power and come as the platforms face a range of pressures regarding online safety issues.

One of the letters seen by NBC News, addressed to Mark Zuckerberg, states: "We write to encourage Meta to take steps to preserve and archive content shared on its platforms that could potentially be used as evidence."

It adds this would assist "the US government and international human rights and accountability monitors [who will] investigate Russian war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other atrocities in Ukraine."

Other key developments:

• Relatives and supporters of the Ukrainian fighters holed up in the Azovstal steel plant under bombardment in the southern port of Mariupol demonstrated in Kyiv, pleading for them to be rescued

• One of Russian President Putin's closest allies said the West's increasing military support to Ukraine risked war between Russia and NATO

• German industrial giant Siemens AG says it is exiting Russia, where it has operated for almost 170 years

• Pressure on Europe to secure alternative gas supplies increased after Moscow imposed sanctions on European subsidiaries of state-owned Gazprom and Ukraine stopped a gas transit route, pushing prices higher

More than 10,000 potential war crimes under investigation


A senior British diplomat has recorded evidence of "credible allegations" of sexual violence against children by Russian troops, alongside other violations of UN Security Council rules on young people in wartime.

Dame Barbara Woodward, Britain's ambassador to the UN, said there was evidence "Russia is committing four of the Security Council's six grave violations against children in times of war".

Counter-terror police in London gathering evidence of potential war crimes said they have been struck by the "incredibly harrowing" material and eyewitness accounts from the front line.

Ukraine's prosecutor general office has said it is looking into more than 10,700 potential war crimes involving more than 600 suspects, including Russian soldiers and government officials.

The trial of a Russian soldier accused of killing a civilian is currently underway in Kyiv. Sergeant Said Shyshimarin, 21, is accused of shooting a 62-year-old man in the head in the northeastern village of Chupakhivka.

It is the first time a member of the Russian military has been prosecuted for a war crime in the conflict.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×