The United Kingdom is set to expand its regulations regarding illegal online content to include the responsibilities of social media platforms during emergencies, following a statement made by the nation’s media regulator, Ofcom, on Monday.
Ofcom unveiled its initial guidelines for the Online Safety Act, legislation enacted in 2023 aimed at regulating illegal content on digital platforms. In its announcement, the regulator indicated that additional measures are planned for implementation by next spring, which will focus on the removal of content associated with child sexual exploitation and terrorism. The guidelines will also introduce “crisis response protocols” to be activated during emergency situations.
In August, violent protests erupted throughout the UK in response to the tragic stabbings of three young girls in Southport, spurred by false rumors implicating a Muslim asylum seeker as the attacker. The riots posed a significant challenge to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration, just weeks into his tenure. In light of the unrest, Starmer urged social media companies to take action against what he described as “violent disorder clearly whipped up online.”
Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, has publicly criticized Starmer’s response to the riots. In the wake of these events, Starmer’s Labour Party is reportedly considering tighter regulations on online content that incites violence, as reported by Bloomberg News.
According to Ofcom, social media companies have three months to evaluate illegal content on their platforms under the newly established guidelines. Noncompliance could result in penalties of up to 10 percent of a company’s global revenue or, in severe cases, a court order to block access to the platform within the UK.
“These laws signify a fundamental shift in societal expectations of technology companies,” stated Peter Kyle, the UK technology secretary, in a press release on Monday. “I expect them to fulfill these new responsibilities and will be monitoring their compliance closely.”
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