'Online posts should face more scrutiny'

SOCIAL media firms must act faster to remove misleading posts like those that fuelled last summer’s riots, a police watchdog has warned.

- By Margaret Davis

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary Sir Andy Cooke said that false and misleading information online helped fuel disorder after the Southport attacks.

He also said the posts had been left up too long.

Noting that dramatic events increase platform use, Sir Andy said: “It is great for them, but they’ve got to have social responsibility.”