Social media Ministers plan to target spread of misinformation

Liz Kendall said yesterday the government was considering fresh action to halt the spread of misinformation during public crises but insisted she would not be “bullied off” Elon Musk’s X social media platform.

- Heather Stewart

The technology secretary was speaking after rioting in Southampton on Tuesday night over the police response to the murder of the student Henry Nowak - a case Musk has repeatedly posted about.

She said she was “very concerned” about the role of social media platforms in times of unrest, adding: “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.”

Kendall pointed to a report last year from the Commons science, innovation and technology committee that called for Ofcom to implement “crisis response protocols” that would hold platforms responsible for misinformation.

The media regulator has consulted on the issue, with details expected to be announced later this month.

The committee launched its investigation after rioting broke out in July and August 2024, when misinformation spread after the murder of three girls at a dance class in Southport.

The committee’s report found “misleading and hateful messaging proliferated rapidly online, amplified by the recommendation algorithms of social media companies”.