Government Response to Misinformation During Crises
Technology secretary Liz Kendall has expressed significant concern regarding the role of social media in spreading misinformation during periods of public unrest. Despite these concerns, she affirmed her determination not to be "bullied off" Elon Musk’s social media platform, X.
The comments came in the wake of rioting in Southampton, which erupted following the police response to the fatal stabbing of Henry Nowak, a case that Musk has frequently highlighted in his posts.
Kendall emphasized the importance of addressing misinformation during critical moments, stating:
“I definitely think, particularly during moments of crisis and disorder and when public safety is important, we need to look at what more we can do.”
She referenced a report published last year by the Commons science, innovation and technology committee, which recommended that Ofcom implement "crisis response protocols" to hold social media platforms accountable for misinformation dissemination.
Ofcom has since conducted consultations on this matter, with further announcements anticipated later this month. The committee initiated its investigation following the summer 2024 riots, which saw rapid misinformation spread after the murder of three girls at a dance class in Southport.
The committee’s report concluded that:
“Misleading and hateful messaging proliferated rapidly online, amplified by the recommendation algorithms of social media companies.”
Kendall outlined government efforts to enhance the reliability of information sources and empower users to manage their social media experiences more effectively. She stated:
“I think lots of people think they see this stuff coming towards them. And it should be much easier for people to say ‘let’s have a reset’ – so I am looking at that again.”
She also highlighted the importance of boosting trusted information sources, noting that more could be done in this area.
Committee Criticism and Regulatory Challenges
Chi Onwurah, chair of the Commons science, innovation and technology committee, criticized the government’s current approach, emphasizing the need for stronger measures to counter misinformation online. She remarked:
“The government must do more to stop the spread of misinformation online. My committee’s report found the Online Safety Act to be woefully inadequate and riddled with regulatory gaps – yet most of our recommendations for how to improve this were rejected.
Since then, the secretary of state has told my committee that the report was ‘excellent’. However, a year after its publication, no progress has been made to update the OSA. Our current regulation just isn’t up to scratch.”
On Thursday, Labour leader Keir Starmer commented on social media engagement. Kendall responded to his remarks, stating:
“I understand my colleagues, why they don’t want to be there [on social media], but I didn’t want to be bullied off any platform.
I’m going to get the government’s message out; hopefully to some people who want to hear it and definitely to those who don’t. Because I want to say that this government stands for hope and not hate.”
Social Media Influence and Legal Actions
Elon Musk has frequently posted about the Nowak case to his 240 million followers on X. One notable post shared comments from far-right MP Rupert Lowe, captioned simply as “RAGE,” which garnered over 25 million views.
In contrast, Kendall’s own recent post on X, which highlighted a visit to Liverpool University to showcase taxpayer support for innovation, received 5,500 views and was shared eight times.
Labour MP Jess Asato is pursuing legal action against Musk’s xAI company concerning sexually explicit material generated by its Grok AI tool that circulated on X earlier this year.
The prime minister publicly supported Asato’s decision, stating on Thursday that she was “absolutely right” to take legal action.
Human Rights Concerns and Regulatory Delays
An analysis conducted by the human rights organization Amnesty International last year suggested that X’s algorithms contributed to the spread of harmful content following the Southport murders.
The Commons committee noted that the Online Safety Act, which was not fully operational during the 2024 riots, lacked sufficient provisions to effectively manage misinformation.
Kendall acknowledged the lengthy legislative process, explaining:
“I think from the initial idea and discussion to implementation [of the act] was eight years. It is a long time. It’s too long. It’s too slow. This technology is developing so rapidly. MPs vote on a finance bill every year. It can’t be beyond the wit of man or even womankind to do things more quickly.”
