The UK government plans to ban social media adverts that promote small boat Channel crossings to asylum seekers.
Under new laws, those who post such content could face up to five years in prison and heavy fines. While helping people enter the UK illegally is already a crime, the change will specifically target online posts that advertise services breaking immigration laws. This includes promoting small boat journeys, selling fake passports or visas, and offering illegal work opportunities.
The measure will be introduced as an amendment to the border security bill, currently in its final stages in the House of Lords. Home Office data shows that 80% of migrants arriving by small boat admitted using social media during their journey, often to contact smugglers.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Exploiting vulnerable people by selling them false promises of safety and work in the UK is immoral. These criminals use social media to lure migrants into dangerous situations, and we will stop them.”
The new law will also criminalise online posts encouraging people to break immigration laws for payment.
Additionally, Cooper will launch a fast-track asylum system this autumn to clear the backlog, aiming for decisions in weeks rather than years. This follows protests over asylum seekers being housed in hotels for long periods.
She will also tighten rules on “exceptional circumstances” in immigration cases and limit the use of human rights laws that protect family and private life.
Rob Jones of the National Crime Agency (NCA) said smugglers often use social media to advertise their services, with most migrants contacting them online.
Recent cases include a Welsh gang convicted in 2024 for smuggling thousands of people, using videos of successful crossings to attract customers. Another smuggler, Amanj Hasan Zada, was jailed for 17 years after posting videos of migrants thanking him.
Albanian smugglers have also offered £12,000 “package deals” including travel, accommodation, and jobs—now covered by the new law.
