Failure to stem misinformation online 'could lead to more riots'

Failures to properly tackle online misinformation mean it is “only a matter of time” before viral content triggers a repeat of last year’s summer riots, MPs have warned.

- Dan Milmo

A police car is set on fire at a far-right protest in August last year in Sunderland, following the Southport murders

(PHOTOGRAPH: DRIK/GETTY IMAGES)

Chi Onwurah, the chair of the Commons science, innovation and technology select committee, said ministers seemed complacent about the threat and this was putting the public at risk.

The committee said it was disappointed in the government’s response to its recent report warning that social media companies’ business models contributed to disturbances after the Southport murders.

Replying to the committee’s findings, the government rejected a call for legislation tackling generative artificial intelligence platforms and said it would not intervene directly in the online advertising market, which MPs claimed had helped to incentivise the creation of harmful material after the attack.