The real story of the news website accused of fuelling riots

A website named Channel3Now has come under fire for spreading false information that has been linked to riots across the UK. The site published a story that incorrectly identified a 17-year-old charged in the Southport attack, giving him a false name and claiming he was an asylum seeker who arrived in the UK by boat. This misinformation, along with other unverified claims about the attacker’s religion, has been blamed for inciting violence, particularly against mosques and Muslim communities. The BBC has conducted an investigation into Channel3Now, uncovering connections to several individuals, including a father from Pakistan, an amateur hockey player from Nova Scotia, and a man named Kevin from Houston, Texas. The investigation revealed that Channel3Now appears to be a commercial operation focused on aggregating crime news to generate revenue through social media. However, the BBC found no evidence linking the site to the Russian government. Kevin, who claims to be part of the management team, stated that the publication of the false name was an error and not intentional. The article in question did not have a byline, leaving the authorship unclear. One of the individuals connected to Channel3Now is James, an amateur hockey player from Nova Scotia. His name appeared in a different article on the site, and he has a LinkedIn profile. When the BBC reached out to him, his friend indicated that James was curious about his involvement in the article. After the inquiry, communication ceased, and there was no denial of James's affiliation with the site. Another individual, Farhan, based in Pakistan, was also linked to Channel3Now. His social media profiles reflect his Islamic faith and family life, but he was not mentioned in the false article. Shortly after the BBC's inquiry, Farhan blocked them on Instagram. Channel3Now later issued an apology for the incorrect identification of the Southport attacker. Kevin, who contacted the BBC, claimed to work from the site’s main office in the US and mentioned that there are over 30 people involved with Channel3Now across the US, UK, Pakistan, and India. He asserted that Farhan was not involved in the false story and placed the blame on the UK-based team. The website faced accusations of having ties to the Russian state due to old videos on its YouTube channel. Kevin explained that they had purchased a former Russian-language YouTube channel years ago and later rebranded it. He emphasized that acquiring a channel from a Russian seller does not imply any affiliations with Russia. Kevin insisted that Channel3Now is an independent digital news media outlet covering global news. While there is no evidence supporting claims of Russian connections, pro-Kremlin Telegram channels did amplify the site’s false posts, a tactic they frequently employ. Kevin described Channel3Now as a commercial operation that aims to cover as many stories as possible to generate income. Most of their stories are accurate, drawing from reliable sources about incidents like shootings and car accidents in the US. However, the site has also propagated further false speculation regarding the Southport attacker and another individual who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump. Following the fallout from the false Southport story, Channel3Now's YouTube channel and most of its Facebook pages were suspended, although its X accounts remain active. Kevin argued that the blame for the social media uproar surrounding the Southport suspect and the subsequent riots cannot be solely attributed to a small Twitter account making a mistake. He is partially correct, as Channel3Now’s erroneous story became a source cited by numerous social media accounts, which helped the false information spread rapidly. Many of these accounts have a history of disseminating misinformation on various topics. Over 400 arrests have been made during the riots. One individual, Bernadette Spofforth, has been accused of being the first to post the false name of the Southport attacker. She denied being the original source, stating she found the name in another post that has since been deleted. In a conversation with the BBC, she expressed her horror regarding the attack and mentioned that she deleted her post as soon as she realized it was false. Bernadette claimed she had no motivation to fabricate such a story, stating, 'I have nothing to gain and everything to lose. ' She condemned the recent violence. Previously, she had shared posts questioning lockdown measures and climate change policies. However, her account was temporarily suspended by Twitter in 2021 for allegedly promoting misinformation about the Covid-19 vaccine. She disputed these claims, asserting that she believes Covid is real. Since the acquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk, her posts have garnered millions of views. The false claim regarding the Southport attacker was quickly circulated by a network of conspiracy theory influencers and accounts known for sharing anti-immigration and far-right ideas. Many of these accounts have purchased blue ticks, which have increased the visibility of their posts since Musk's takeover. Changes implemented by Musk have made it easier for these accounts to profit from their posts. Some users have reported earning between $10 and $20 per million views on X. Accounts sharing misinformation have been able to achieve millions of impressions on their posts, often sharing multiple times a day. Other social media platforms also allow users to monetize their views, but they have previously suspended accounts that violate their misinformation guidelines. Unlike other platforms, X does not have strict rules against misinformation. While there have been calls for social media companies to take more action following the riots, the UK's recently passed Online Safety Bill does not currently address disinformation, as there are concerns that it could infringe on freedom of expression. Additionally, the individuals responsible for posting false information are often located abroad, complicating efforts to hold them accountable. Currently, the responsibility for managing this type of content lies with the social media companies themselves. The BBC has reached out to X for a comment, but they have not responded.