British government considers forcing social media companies to remove 'lawful but harmful' content following riots sparked by online hoaxes
Following the spread of false information on social media about a murder that occurred at the end of July 2024, far-right groups have instigated anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim riots across the UK. In response to these unrest, it has been reported that the UK government is considering amending the Online Safety Act, which would hold online service providers such as social media legally liable.
UK considers forcing tech firms to remove 'legal but harmful' content after riots
King Charles sends 'heartfelt thanks' to police for restoring order after riots | Social media | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/aug/09/online-safety-act-to-be-reviewed-after-sadiq-khan-criticism-says-minister
UK revisits social media regulation after far-right riots | Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-revisits-online-safety-act-after-far-right-riots-2024-08-09/
On July 29, 2024, a man with a knife attacked a children's dance studio in Southport, England, killing three children and injuring eight children and two adults. The suspect arrested was a 17-year-old boy.
Immediately after the incident, false information was spread on X that the perpetrators were Muslim refugees who had come to the UK on a boat. As this false information spread, far-right extremist movements against immigrants and Muslims intensified, escalating into riots. Mobs and police clashed all over the UK, destroying buildings and cars.
Anti-immigration protesters smash through migrant hotel in Rotherham - YouTube
The female user who first posted the false information on social media that started the incident was arrested on August 8, 2024. According to local media, the false information posted by the woman was spread by far-right activists and influencers. In addition, X's owner Elon Musk's post about the riots, saying 'civil war is now inevitable,' was also problematic, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has strongly criticized such irresponsible social media posts.
Elon Musk posts on British riots: 'Civil war is inevitable' - GIGAZINE
However, in response to Starmer's criticism, Mask posted a message to Starmer saying, 'Why aren't all communities protected in the UK?' He also added the hashtag 'TwoTierKeir' to appeal to the opposition.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 6, 2024
In recent years, there has been criticism that the spreading power of social media has led to violent incidents, such as the attack on the US Capitol . In the UK, the Online Safety Act was passed in October 2023, which imposes fines of up to 10% of global turnover on social media companies that are found to have violated the law, such as failing to monitor content that incites violence or terrorism. However, at the time of writing, the act has not yet been implemented, and furthermore, the Online Safety Act only imposes fines if companies 'fail to crack down on illegal content such as incitement to violence or hate speech.'
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said that online safety laws should be changed to include criminal penalties for 'allowing the spread of lawful but harmful content', such as misinformation.
Cabinet Office Minister Thomas Symonds responded to Mayor Khan's comments by saying, 'The legal framework for the Online Safety Act is under review. We will take action if we need to proceed with the Online Safety Act,' suggesting the possibility of reviewing the Online Safety Act. Prime Minister Starmer also said, 'We need to look at social media more broadly in the wake of this unrest. Social media is not a lawless place.'
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