The riots in the wake of the Southport murders horrified the nation (Image: PA)
Social media companies may have profited from the wave of “hateful messaging” which fuelled last summer’s riots, according to scathing report which warns of the online threats facing Britain. Companies “enabled and even encouraged” the spread of misinformation and put the public in danger, according to a cross-party group of MPs. They warn the country is “vulnerable to a repeat of last summer’s crisis”.
The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee sounds the alarm that current laws are “unable to tackle the spread of misinformation” and “cannot keep users safe online”. It describes how in the wake of the “horrific” Southport murders in July last year, “misleading and hateful messaging proliferated rapidly online, amplified by the recommendation algorithms of social media companies.”
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
Enhancing your natural beauty routines.Health and Beauty News | Sponsored Sponsored
Learn More
Undo
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Kier Starmer's migrant deal makes a joke out of Britain and puts Brexit at risk
Comments
Angela Rayner suspended by major trade union over Birmingham biking strike fury
Comments
POLL: Will Macron honour the migrant deal?
Comments
Andrew Neil savaged Rachel Reeves for 'spouting nonsense' in furious rant
Comments
'Nationwide blitz' to crackdown on illegal workers in bid to stop small boat crossings
Comments
EU visa rules update for UK citizens after Brexit as minister issues statement
Comments
Huge win for Nigel Farage as Reform sweeps to victory in multiple council elections
Comments
BBC's Naga Munchetty skewers Yvette Cooper over new migrant deal with France
Comments
Rachel Reeves 'catastrophe' strikes as new economic bombshell rocks Labour
Comments
Angela Rayner savaged over 'out of touch' plan as huge warning issued
Comments
I was in the room when Keir Starmer announced new migrant deal with Emmanuel Macron
Comments
Keir Starmer accused of caving in to France over new migrant returns deal
Comments
Reform UK is 'political home' for Britons failed by 'conservative establishment'
Comments
Keir Starmer's migrant deal with France is a disaster that threatens our borders
Comments
Millions of UK phones to receive doomsday emergency alert
Comments
Could your doctor or pharmacist be replaced by an AI robot? Here's what the experts say
Comments
Keir Starmer refuses to rule out stealth income tax hike in PMQs bombshell
Comments
Huge new Spain change for holidays starts today
Comments
The 1 shocking graph that proves benefits in UK are out of control
Comments
POLL: Do you trust Rachel Reeves with Britain's economy?
Comments
Kier Starmer's migrant deal makes a joke out of Britain and puts Brexit at risk
Comments
Angela Rayner suspended by major trade union over Birmingham biking strike fury
Comments
POLL: Will Macron honour the migrant deal?
Comments
Andrew Neil savaged Rachel Reeves for 'spouting nonsense' in furious rant
Comments
'Nationwide blitz' to crackdown on illegal workers in bid to stop small boat crossings
Comments
EU visa rules update for UK citizens after Brexit as minister issues statement
Comments
Huge win for Nigel Farage as Reform sweeps to victory in multiple council elections
Comments
BBC's Naga Munchetty skewers Yvette Cooper over new migrant deal with France
Comments
Rachel Reeves 'catastrophe' strikes as new economic bombshell rocks Labour
Comments
Angela Rayner savaged over 'out of touch' plan as huge warning issued
Comments
I was in the room when Keir Starmer announced new migrant deal with Emmanuel Macron
Comments
Keir Starmer accused of caving in to France over new migrant returns deal
Comments
Reform UK is 'political home' for Britons failed by 'conservative establishment'
Comments
Keir Starmer's migrant deal with France is a disaster that threatens our borders
Comments
Millions of UK phones to receive doomsday emergency alert
Comments
Could your doctor or pharmacist be replaced by an AI robot? Here's what the experts say
Comments
Keir Starmer refuses to rule out stealth income tax hike in PMQs bombshell
Comments
Huge new Spain change for holidays starts today
Comments
The 1 shocking graph that proves benefits in UK are out of control
Comments
POLL: Do you trust Rachel Reeves with Britain's economy?
Comments
Kier Starmer's migrant deal makes a joke out of Britain and puts Brexit at risk
Comments
Angela Rayner suspended by major trade union over Birmingham biking strike fury
Comments
POLL: Will Macron honour the migrant deal?
Comments
Andrew Neil savaged Rachel Reeves for 'spouting nonsense' in furious rant
Comments
'Nationwide blitz' to crackdown on illegal workers in bid to stop small boat crossings
Comments
EU visa rules update for UK citizens after Brexit as minister issues statement
Comments
Huge win for Nigel Farage as Reform sweeps to victory in multiple council elections
Comments
The report claims a “false name was seen 420,000 times, with a potential reach of 1.7 billion people”. It adds that “social media was used to organise the unrest, with accounts created for the riots including far-right symbols and calls for ‘mass deportation’.” The MPs warn the Online Safety Act was not designed to tackle misinformation and say there are “major holes” in the legislation. They call for tougher regulation of social media companies.
The Government is “hamstrung” by a “lack of transparency”, the claim, about how the algorithms which drive social media recommendations work. The committee also warns that the present law is “out of date” because it fails to address recent advances in Artificial Intelligence.
Don't miss...
I'm an ex-soldier - rioting yobs are using patriotism as a cover for chaos
'Southport victims encountered sheer evil - they must never be forgotten'
Dame Chi Onwurah, who chairs the committee, said: “Social media can undoubtedly be a force for good, but it has a dark side. The viral amplification of false and harmful content can cause very real harm – helping to drive the riots we saw last summer.
Sponsored
Health Paradise | Sponsored Sponsored
Learn More
Urologists: What 90% Of Men With ED Don't Know (Start Doing This)
Undo
“These technologies must be regulated in a way that empowers and protects users, whilst also respecting free speech.”
Warning that the Online Safety Act “just isn’t up to scratch,” she said: “The government needs to go further to tackle the pervasive spread of misinformation that causes harm but doesn’t cross the line into illegality. Social media companies are not just neutral platforms but actively curate what you see online, and they must be held accountable.”
Pushing social media giants to act responsibly, the report states: “We were reassured by the statements from Google, Meta, TikTok and X in our evidence session that they accepted their responsibility to be accountable to Parliament. We hope to see this in practice as we continue our work in this area.”
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Kier Starmer's migrant deal makes a joke out of Britain and puts Brexit at risk
Comments
Angela Rayner suspended by major trade union over Birmingham biking strike fury
Comments
POLL: Will Macron honour the migrant deal?
Comments
Andrew Neil savaged Rachel Reeves for 'spouting nonsense' in furious rant
Comments
'Nationwide blitz' to crackdown on illegal workers in bid to stop small boat crossings
Comments
EU visa rules update for UK citizens after Brexit as minister issues statement
Comments
Huge win for Nigel Farage as Reform sweeps to victory in multiple council elections
Comments
BBC's Naga Munchetty skewers Yvette Cooper over new migrant deal with France
Comments
Rachel Reeves 'catastrophe' strikes as new economic bombshell rocks Labour
Comments
Angela Rayner savaged over 'out of touch' plan as huge warning issued
Comments
I was in the room when Keir Starmer announced new migrant deal with Emmanuel Macron
Comments
Keir Starmer accused of caving in to France over new migrant returns deal
Comments
Reform UK is 'political home' for Britons failed by 'conservative establishment'
Comments
Keir Starmer's migrant deal with France is a disaster that threatens our borders
Comments
Millions of UK phones to receive doomsday emergency alert
Comments
Could your doctor or pharmacist be replaced by an AI robot? Here's what the experts say
Comments
Keir Starmer refuses to rule out stealth income tax hike in PMQs bombshell
Comments
Huge new Spain change for holidays starts today
Comments
The 1 shocking graph that proves benefits in UK are out of control
Comments
POLL: Do you trust Rachel Reeves with Britain's economy?
Comments
Kier Starmer's migrant deal makes a joke out of Britain and puts Brexit at risk
Comments
Angela Rayner suspended by major trade union over Birmingham biking strike fury
Comments
POLL: Will Macron honour the migrant deal?
Comments
Andrew Neil savaged Rachel Reeves for 'spouting nonsense' in furious rant
Comments
'Nationwide blitz' to crackdown on illegal workers in bid to stop small boat crossings
Comments
EU visa rules update for UK citizens after Brexit as minister issues statement
Comments
Huge win for Nigel Farage as Reform sweeps to victory in multiple council elections
Comments
BBC's Naga Munchetty skewers Yvette Cooper over new migrant deal with France
Comments
Rachel Reeves 'catastrophe' strikes as new economic bombshell rocks Labour
Comments
Angela Rayner savaged over 'out of touch' plan as huge warning issued
Comments
I was in the room when Keir Starmer announced new migrant deal with Emmanuel Macron
Comments
Keir Starmer accused of caving in to France over new migrant returns deal
Comments
Reform UK is 'political home' for Britons failed by 'conservative establishment'
Comments
Keir Starmer's migrant deal with France is a disaster that threatens our borders
Comments
Millions of UK phones to receive doomsday emergency alert
Comments
Could your doctor or pharmacist be replaced by an AI robot? Here's what the experts say
Comments
Keir Starmer refuses to rule out stealth income tax hike in PMQs bombshell
Comments
Huge new Spain change for holidays starts today
Comments
The 1 shocking graph that proves benefits in UK are out of control
Comments
POLL: Do you trust Rachel Reeves with Britain's economy?
Comments
Kier Starmer's migrant deal makes a joke out of Britain and puts Brexit at risk
Comments
Angela Rayner suspended by major trade union over Birmingham biking strike fury
Comments
POLL: Will Macron honour the migrant deal?
Comments
Andrew Neil savaged Rachel Reeves for 'spouting nonsense' in furious rant
Comments
'Nationwide blitz' to crackdown on illegal workers in bid to stop small boat crossings
Comments
EU visa rules update for UK citizens after Brexit as minister issues statement
Comments
Huge win for Nigel Farage as Reform sweeps to victory in multiple council elections
Comments
The report highlights how social media spread false information (Image: Getty)
A Government spokesperson said: “We won’t stand by while online activity fuels real-world harm, and there are clear laws in place, including new false communications offence in the Online Safety Act, to target the spread of disinformation online when there is intent to cause harm.
“Under the Online Safety Act, social media platforms have a legal duty to remove illegal content and prevent the spread of illegal disinformation, with robust enforcement powers available to Ofcom.
“Ofcom has also announced a consultation on additional safety measures to stop illegal content going viral including ensuring platforms have crisis response protocols in place.”
SUBSCRIBE Invalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
Read Next