WIKIPEDIA was last night named and shamed for not bothering to turn up to an emergency Government summit on how to tackle self-harm online.
Tech giants including Google and Facebook agreed to fund the Samaritans and to sign up to a new code of practice to take down harmful content at the meeting.
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But ministers were left fuming with Wikipedia for snubbing an invite to attend the major Whitehall summit for the second time this year.
It comes despite concerns their site breaches ethical codes by including detailed descriptions of suicide.
And there was criticism that the amount pledged by the tech giants was meagre in comparison to their huge revenues – and the scale of the problem.
Heath Secretary Matt Hancock is expected to call Wikipedia bosses in for a grilling another time.
‘DON’T BOTHER ENGAGING’
A Whitehall insider told The Sun: “Wikipedia did not bother to show up and the Samaritans have said they have not been very good at engaging with them.
“Wikipedia have refused to engage with us. We want to engage constructively, but it is hard to believe they are taking this seriously if they don’t bother engaging.”
But Mr Hancock said good progress has been made with other tech giants at the meeting, including Google, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
THOUSANDS PLEDGED
The companies have agreed to fund The Samaritans to the tune of hundreds of thousands of pounds.
And they have signed up in principle to new guidelines being drawn up by the suicide prevention charity to take down harmful content online.
The pledge follows tragic high-profile cases including Molly Russell, 14, who took her life in 2017 after viewing self-harm content on Instagram.
And figures showed suicide rates among teens have almost doubled in eight years.
CASH ‘FALLS SHORT’
But the cash falls short of demands from the NSPCC – who want tech firms to completely rid their platforms of content promoting self-harm or else hand over a share of annual profits.
The US giants are forecast to rake in combined revenues of £183billion and profits of £49.4billion this year.
Labour’s Clive Efford, on the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, told the Mirror their funding offer “wasn’t nearly enough to tackle the problem”.
Labour deputy leader Tom Watson said: “Tech giants have refused to take responsibility for harmful content for too long.
“The summit is welcome but we need more than warm words; Government must legislate to protect our children.”
Mr Hancock admitted that more work needs to be done to tackle the problem
He said: “We have made good progress today and there is still more to do – but I am determined to make sure that the internet and social media is made safer – especially for children.
“The crucial thing is that we have an independent body, The Samaritans, being able to be the arbiter of what is damaging content that needs taken down so all tech companies can follow the new rules that have been set out.
“I feel the tech companies are starting to get the message, they’re starting to take action – but there’s much more to do.”
The Sun has contacted Wikipedia for comment.
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