UK regulator tells online services to 'act now' to stop riots

Police officers keep watch during a counter demonstration against an anti-immigration protest called by far-right activists. — AFP

The UK telecommunications regulator urged online service providers to take action to stop customers from using their platforms to incite violence, even though Ofcom’s new rules with stronger requirements to police online content aren’t yet in effect.

"In a few months, new safety duties under the Online Safety Act will be in place, but you can act now - there is no need to wait to make your sites and apps safer for users,” said Gill Whitehead, Ofcom’s director for online safety, in a letter posted to the regulator’s website on Wednesday.

Ofcom’s Online Safety Act, which will give social media companies new requirements for assessing and mitigating risks of content on their platforms, doesn’t go into effect until later this year. Online platforms are already required to take down illegal content when they become aware of it.

Over the last 10 days, accounts on X, Facebook, TikTok and Telegram, among others, have been used to stoke racism and violent demonstrations across the UK with more protests expected later on Wednesday. Extremist groups kicked off the protests last week, starting a disinformation campaign that a teenager from Wales who’d stabbed three young girls in England last week was an immigrant. Since then, protesters have been using online platforms to organise and target people and businesses.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned social media companies last week that crimes were taking place "on your premises” as violence erupted.

Representatives for X, Meta Platforms Inc, TikTok and Telegram didn’t respond to requests for comment. – Bloomberg