The UK government has announced a new crackdown targeting people-smuggling gangs that promote illegal small boat crossings of the English Channel on social media. Under the proposed legislation, individuals advertising these dangerous journeys online could face up to five years in prison. Home Office Minister Dame Diana Johnson outlined the introduction of this new offence aimed at criminalising online advertisements facilitating migrant crossings. In conjunction with this legal measure, the government pledged an additional £100 million in funding to intensify efforts against people-smuggling gangs. The funding boost and legislative changes reflect a coordinated approach to disrupt the operations of criminal networks exploiting social media platforms to encourage illegal migration.