Social media platforms warned against inciting violence by UK regulator

The UK communications regulator Ofcom has raised concerns regarding social media being used to incite violence amid far-right riots across the country. In an open letter, Ofcom’s online safety director, Gill Whitehead, urged online platforms to tackle the potential spread of harmful materials related to the ongoing discord, highlighting its existing powers over video sharing platforms and its upcoming enforcement of the broader Online Safety Act.

Ofcom is specifically encouraging platforms to address content that depicts “hatred and disorder” and promotes violence or disinformation. The regulator’s existing powers allow it to “suspend or restrict” video sharing platforms that fail to protect the public from “harmful material” — potentially including inflammatory and often unverified videos that purport to show violence from immigrant communities, which have proliferated online. These rules don’t currently extend to social media companies in general, but the Online Safety Act is likely to grant Ofcom more power when it comes into force sometime between late 2024 and early 2025.

Musk himself has also repeatedly promoted posts and misinformation about the discord, commenting that “civil war is inevitable” on video footage of the riots. A spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said there’s “no justification for comments like that,” in a statement responding to Musk. “What we’ve seen in this country is organised, violent thuggery that has no place, either on our streets or online.”

Ofcom’s letter tacitly admits it’s still limited in its enforcement, even as it warned platforms it would be keeping an eye on them. “In a few months, new safety duties under the Online Safety Act will be in place, but you can act now – there is no need to wait to make your sites and apps safer for users,” said Whitehead.