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Youth fights driven by social media

Caught on camera: The incident at South Hedland. Picture: Supplied

Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan says social media is a "driver" of youth violence and videos of fights posted online were celebrated when they went viral.

The comments come as police stepped up patrols in Armadale yesterday after a spate of fights involving teenagers this week and the emergence of a disturbing video in which adults stood by while two young girls beat each other in South Hedland.

Last year, a Facebook page was found to be promoting a "fight club" between students at Kalgoorlie-Boulder Community High School.

"Part of the driver of this sort of violence is the fact that it can be recorded, it can be uploaded and it can go viral," Mr O'Callaghan said.

"Kids fighting in parks has been going on forever. The difference is there is a new level of power given to individuals if they can upload it to Facebook and everyone can see and everyone can comment.

"There would be some celebration that goes with getting your video viral, I would imagine."

He said the connection between social media and school-aged fights was possibly something police needed to look at, though he admitted not having a solution.

"It is an issue (and) we're concerned about the level of violence," he said. "Certainly we have to intervene … bear in mind it's not entirely a police problem. The education department have a responsibility and so do parents."

Police yesterday charged two children in relation to alleged fights in Armadale this week. A girl, 15, from Maddington was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm after she allegedly broke the nose of a 17-year-old girl.

A 15-year-old boy from Armadale was also charged with assault occasioning bodily harm, two counts of disorderly behaviour, two counts of assault and one count of robbery.

Both are due to face Armadale Children's Court on April 7.