Ofcom: Clear link between online posts and violent disorder

During the summer, England experienced a series of riots, with one notable incident occurring in Sunderland. Images emerged of two young individuals standing in front of a burning vehicle, capturing the chaos of the moment. Ofcom, the regulatory body responsible for overseeing media and communications, has determined that there was a significant connection between the violent disturbances in England and Northern Ireland and the posts circulating on social media and messaging applications. The government had tasked Ofcom with investigating how illegal content and misinformation proliferated during this period of unrest. In a statement, Ofcom's chief, Dame Melanie Dawes, noted that such content spread rapidly online following a series of stabbings in Southport in July, which preceded the riots. She acknowledged that while most online platforms took swift action, the responses from some companies were inconsistent. 'Posts regarding the Southport incident and the subsequent events from prominent accounts reached millions of users, highlighting the role that virality and algorithmic recommendations can play in amplifying divisive narratives during a crisis,' Dame Melanie articulated in her letter. The BBC reached out to major tech platforms for their responses to the findings. X, previously known as Twitter, informed BBC News that they had suspended certain accounts and removed other content from their platform in the aftermath of the riots. A representative from the messaging app Telegram stated that they 'immediately removed UK channels that incited violence as soon as they were discovered in August. ' However, other significant tech platforms did not respond to the BBC's inquiries. Experts have pointed out that the unrest underscored the power and responsibility that social media platforms hold. Rashik Parmar, representing BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, remarked, 'Ofcom is indicating that social media posts that incite riots are not merely words; they play a crucial role in exacerbating disorder. ' He emphasized the need for accountability when platforms allow dangerously divisive content to go unchecked. Media analyst Hanna Kahlert from Midia Research stated that Ofcom's findings represent a 'call for social platforms to take greater ownership of the impact of the content they host. ' At the time of the unrest, Ofcom faced criticism for not doing enough to curb the spread of false and inflammatory content. However, they also highlighted that the enhanced powers they are set to receive under the Online Safety Act had not yet been implemented. This act will establish codes of practice for large tech firms, imposing new responsibilities on them to combat misinformation. 'I am confident that had the draft codes been in effect during the unrest, they would have provided a solid foundation for urgent engagement with services regarding the measures they were taking to safeguard UK users from harm,' Dame Melanie expressed. She stated that the new powers would set 'clear standards' for what Ofcom expects from major tech companies in the future, including: outlining in their terms of service how individuals will be protected from priority illegal content, implementing systems designed to swiftly remove illegal content, and ensuring that they have adequately resourced content moderation teams. Additionally, they must provide effective and accessible mechanisms for users to report illegal content, including on messaging platforms. The unrest that erupted in August was the most severe seen in the UK in a decade, leading to numerous arrests, some for online offenses. The role of big tech companies came under intense scrutiny during this period. The Prime Minister also found himself embroiled in a war of words with one of the most prominent figures in technology, Elon Musk, the owner of X. Musk suggested that 'civil war is inevitable' following the disorder, to which Sir Keir Starmer responded, asserting that there was 'no justification' for Musk's comments and that social media companies 'can and should do more. ' A spokesperson from X informed the BBC that they monitored the platform and took action on thousands of pieces of content as part of their internal incident response protocols. They confirmed that some accounts were suspended and other content was removed, but did not provide further details. The spokesperson also emphasized the role of community notes, stating that these 'played an important role in addressing misleading content across the platform in relation to the incidents and have been viewed millions of times.