UK Regulator Tells Social Media Firms To Stop Viral Illegal Content

In an effort to curb the kind of misinformation that spread following the summer riots in 2024, social media companies have been directed to implement emergency procedures to prevent illegal content from going viral.

Social media businesses are required by Ofcom, the UK’s media regulator, to have emergency “crisis protocols” in place to prevent illicit information from going viral right away. These regulations, which are motivated by lessons learned from the summer riots of 2024 and subsequent high-profile violence, require tech companies to quickly quell dangerous misinformation increases.

Websites like X, which was formerly Twitter, and TikTok will need to have a “crisis protocol” in place to step in when the spread of harmful content starts to increase.

Online platforms will also have to set up a specific channel of communication so that the police can get in touch with them in an emergency, according to the regulations that Ofcom, the UK’s tech regulator, will put in place.

It comes after worries at the highest levels of government about how quickly false information spreads at critical junctures. The announcement from Ofcom also comes after unrest that had broken out in Southampton due to the police response to Henry Nowak’s tragic stabbing.

The Commons science, innovation, and technology committee proposed requiring social media companies to have emergency protocols in place to prevent illicit viral content.

It issued the advice after conducting an investigation in the wake of the summer 2024 riots, during which time false information swiftly circulated following the murder of three girls at a Southport dancing class.

The findings showed that misleading and hate-filled content proliferated across online platforms, boosted by social media companies’ algorithmic recommendations.

A crisis, according to Ofcom, is a “extraordinary situation in which there is a serious threat to public safety in the United Kingdom,” which most likely “resulted from a significant increase in relevant content.”

It had stated that certain types of illegal content and/or content harmful to children can spread rapidly online during a crisis. This can pose a serious threat to public safety in the UK in certain situations.

Evidence from past crises, for instance, shows how the offenders use internet platforms to engage in illicit activities, such as instigating violence, threats, or hatred based on race or religion. 

This may result in more illicit content being circulated online, but it may also show up as violence in the real world.

“The typical content moderation systems and procedures used by online service providers may not be adequate in such situations because such crises are exceptional.”

When it comes to dealing with content that is blatantly illegal, the threshold for implementing such rules is high. Once parliament has accepted the new measures, they will become operative.

The action demonstrates how urgently ministers and the regulator want to address the speed at which false information can spread in the frequently perplexing context of a crisis.

The legal and enforcement structure from the directive draws directly on enforcement powers from the comprehensive Online Safety Act. Platforms such as X and TikTok must comply or risk severe penalties:

• Offense Scope: Covers around 140 specific offenses.
• Target Content: Strictly limited to terrorism, hate speech, harassment, and major public safety threats.
• Financial Fines: Non-compliance can result in fines of up to £17 million or 10% of global annual revenue.

This matters now because, as reported by The Guardian and Channel NewsAsia, Ofcom fast-tracked the policy due to how quickly dangerous misinformation spreads online. The move acts as a legal safeguard against public safety failures driven by digital echo chambers.