Foiled kidnapping plot against Female British TV star highlights online misogyny and hate

Jacob Davey, ISD’s Director of Policy & Research, Counter-Hate, spoke to Sky News about online misogyny, the permissive environments that closed platforms provide for harmful communities, and potential policy responses to these issues in the context of the recent conviction of sexual predator Gavin Plumb for plotting to kidnap TV presenter Holly Willoughby.

Online communities and online spaces can “facilitate radicalising activity allowing individuals to live out egregious extreme fantasises that provide vectors to them to either influence or discuss these,” Jacob said, speaking on Plumb’s online activity on Kik and Google Plus, including his participation in a public group called ‘Abduct Lovers’.

He added that companies need to “assess” both the risk and nature of content on their platforms and take action against activity that violates their guidelines.

Plumb was found guilty of soliciting the murder of Willoughby, encouraging or assisting the commission of her kidnap and encouraging or assisting the commission of her rape, according to Essex Police. He had been planning, since 2021, to kidnap Willoughby before raping and murdering her.