Removal of drill or rap videos from social networks

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.24.035643

I note you seek access to the following information:

For each of the last three years (2021, 2022, 2023) and 2024 (to date):
How many drill/rap music videos has the Met requested YouTube to remove? How many videos were successfully removed?
Has the Met requested removal of Drill / Rap videos from any other social network (eg TikTok)? If so please supply the same data.

Clarification -
Yes, it is fine to proceed with financial year instead of calendar year.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose some of the requested information. Some data has been withheld as it is exempt from disclosure and therefore this response serves as a Refusal Notice under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) by virtue of the following exemptions:

Reason for decision

Section 22 – In relation to 2023/2024 data requested, it has been identified as being intended for future publication on the MPS Publication Scheme (within the Met website - MPS Site), by end of May 2024.

Section 22 – Information intended for future publication - of the Act provides public authorities with an exclusion from the duty to disclose information under Section 1(1)(b) of the Act, when the information is held with a view to its publication by any person, at any future date (whether determined or not). To withhold information under this exemption, a public authority must establish that the 'public interest' lies in withholding the requested information.

The public interest is determined by conducting a 'Public Interest Test'. Section 22 of the Act is also a class-based exemption. There is therefore no requirement to demonstrate what harm would result from disclosing the requested information.

The MPS has a process for both identifying and publishing police information that is of public interest. This is an established process which is primarily designed to engage the general public in the work of the police service but importantly, also serves to reduce the financial and administrative cost of responding to requests for information under the Act. The MPS receives a considerable number of requests for information that is due to be published. It would be both administratively and financially prohibitive for the MPS to release information in response to individual requests when the information requested will be published in the near future.

Having considered your request, I have chosen to claim Section 22 of the Act as the requested information will be published in due course. I also believe that it would be inefficient to duplicate the work that will be completed. For these reasons, I consider that release of the information sought under the Act, to be contrary to the public interest. I have accordingly refused your request.

Disclosure

For each of the last three years (2021, 2022, 2023) and 2024 (to date):
How many drill/rap music videos has the Met requested YouTube to remove? How many videos were successfully removed?
Has the Met requested removal of Drill / Rap videos from any other social network (eg TikTok)? If so please supply the same data.

Clarification -
Yes, it is fine to proceed with financial year instead of calendar year.

• Data provided by financial year – 1 April to 31 March inclusive
• Data for 2023/24 will be published following the conclusion of this financial year, likely to be May 2024
• Figures relate to referrals/removals for unique items of content
• The figures relate to referrals/removals of all musical content. We do not record whether the content is specifically from the genre of drill music as this is a subjective description. However, all musical content is from the genres of drill/rap/hip-hop and other similar genres and sub-genres of music.