The UK government is reconsidering implementing controversial powers to compel internet companies to remove “legal but harmful” content.
This comes as the first prison sentence was handed down to an individual who incited recent far-right riots by inflaming tensions online.
Officials have discussed reviving the proposal, which was dropped in 2022 after backlash from the tech industry and free speech advocates, but no decisions have been made.
On Friday, Sir Keir Starmer suggested that the government would need to take a broader look at social media following the disorder, indicating that ministers may strengthen the UK’s forthcoming online laws.
Dozens of far-right riots have erupted across the UK since a mass stabbing last week in Southport, with unrest partly driven by misinformation spread on social media platforms such as X and Facebook.
The government has vowed to prosecute individuals who incite violence online, alongside those who perpetrate violence in the streets.
Ministers are currently focused on addressing the immediate crisis and preventing further riots this weekend. On Friday, Starmer visited Scotland Yard, urging the police to stay on “high alert” for potential unrest.
Ministers are considering new measures to strengthen online regulation after X owner Elon Musk intensified tensions on his platform this week by claiming that “civil war is inevitable” in the UK. This provocative statement prompted a strong response from Number 10, which stated there was “no justification for comments like that.”
Musk also mocked Starmer with the slogan “twotierKeir,” referring to the hard-right claim that police treat right-wing protesters more harshly than others. On Friday night, he posted: “Support freedom of speech in the UK!”
The Online Safety Act, passed last year to regulate social media platforms, will not come into full effect for several months. It will grant UK media regulator Ofcom extensive powers to hold technology giants accountable for failing to manage illegal content, such as hate speech and incitement to violence.
This includes imposing hefty fines and criminal liability for senior executives in the most severe breaches.
