Ofcom Urges Social Media Firms to Act Now to Make Platforms Safer
In the wake of the unrest sweeping parts of the UK, Ofcom has issued a stern warning to social media firms, urging them to take immediate action to make their platforms safer. The media regulator highlighted the “increased risk” of sites being used to stir up hatred and provoke violence, emphasizing that there is “no need to wait” for tougher regulations to come into force.
While the Online Safety Act, which grants Ofcom enhanced powers, has become law, it has not yet been implemented. However, Ofcom stressed that existing regulations already require video-sharing platforms like TikTok and Snap to protect users from content that could incite violence or hatred.
Despite these rules, platforms such as YouTube and Elon Musk’s X are not currently bound by the same restrictions. Fact-checking organization Full Fact has called for swifter action, warning that online misinformation poses a real-time threat that can spill over into unrest on UK streets.
Ofcom’s director for online safety, Gill Whitehead, announced that the regulator will publish its final codes of practice and guidance by the end of the year. However, she urged social media companies to act proactively rather than waiting for the new law to take effect, which may not be until 2025.
Professor Lorna Woods, who helped shape the Online Safety Act, acknowledged the challenges Ofcom faces in waiting for its enhanced powers. She also noted that even with the new legislation, there are limitations in capturing all harmful content, particularly non-criminal speech targeting adults.
The role of social media in the recent disorder in England and Northern Ireland has come under scrutiny, with the government calling for platforms to do more to combat harmful content. A list containing the names and addresses of immigration lawyers, spread online, has raised concerns, with the Law Society of England and Wales treating it as a credible threat.
Telegram, where the list originated, stated that it is actively monitoring and removing channels and posts inciting violence, as such behavior violates its terms of service. The situation escalated further when Prime Minister clashed with Elon Musk online, with the tech billionaire predicting “inevitable” civil war in the UK.
