Animal Law Italia launches “Caught in the Net!”, the new campaign with which the association takes action against animal abuse shared online. Three concrete objectives:
- report to the authorities anyone who is responsible for animal abuse by publishing photos and videos of their actions online, often with complete unawareness of the criminal consequences or in the belief that they are safe from them;
- have social media profiles removed that exploit images and videos of abuse to gain likes, shares, or advertise commercial activities;
- obtain stricter rules that prevent the spread of such content and allow violations to be censored more quickly.
An underestimated problem
After months of systematic monitoring of content shared on major social networks, we were faced with an alarming finding: an alarming number of animal abuse videos circulate freely online. In the vast majority of cases, despite the documented harmful actions, this content does not trigger the platforms’ anti-violence filters.
A particularly evident phenomenon emerged in connection with the “On the Side of Crustaceans” campaign: online, restaurants, fishmongers, and retailers advertising on social media showing live crabs, lobsters, and langoustines handled without any care are proliferating. Moments of pure cruelty, created specifically to generate viral content.
Our legal team is already in action
ALI has launched a thorough digital sweep of the web, gathering a substantial archive of evidence and initiating criminal proceedings against those responsible for conduct attributable to the crime of animal abuse. From now on, those who publish such content will have to face the economic and legal consequences of their choices: criminal penalties, court costs, reputational damage, and closure of social media profiles.
«Every animal abuse video that circulates online without consequences sends the wrong message: that you can harm animals with impunity and that others’ suffering can become entertainment. With “Caught in the Net!” we say enough: those who publish this content will answer for their actions before the law.»
Alessandro Ricciuti, President of Animal Law Italia
We call on platforms to adopt stricter rules
With this campaign we also address the platforms directly, asking them to revise their policies in a more rigorous direction. Social networks cannot continue to be tools through which animal abuse is monetised: they must act with greater responsibility and promptness in removing this content.
Support this campaign
Support us, share this campaign and help us ensure that social networks become a safe place for all animals. Together we can make this content disappear from the web.