Nandy pledges crackdown on 'doxxing' after RNLI volunteers see personal details online

Lisa Nandy has vowed to strengthen the law on "doxxing" after lifeboat volunteers involved in migrant crossing rescues had their personal details published online.

The culture secretary said she would "tighten up the law" to make doxxing, which involves leaking people's home addresses, a criminal offence.

Currently, she said this kind of behaviour is only illegal if it is done with clear intent to cause fear, harm and distress.

Nandy convened a meeting with social media firms on Tuesday afternoon to discuss such abuse, but she called social media company X a "disgrace" for failing to turn up.

Last week, the chief executive of the RNLI - the Royal National Lifeboat Institute - condemned online and physical abuse volunteers for the charity had received over English Channel migrant crossings.

That followed protests after 120 people landed on Portsmouth's shores from France with the RNLI's assistance.

Nandy told BBC Breakfast she was "appalled" that the likes of RNLI volunteers, police officers, social workers and journalists were "being doxxed online" - having their names, photos and addresses published.

In her meeting with social media companies, she said she found "wildly varying standards" from them on doxxing material.