Elon Musk posts to outrage the British government
Fake news on social media is fueling persistent far-right rioting in the UK. Elon Musk, owner of X, is also under fire. However, the London government believes Musk's comments on the situation are pouring oil on the fire.
Comments by Elon Musk on the far-right and anti-Muslim riots in the UK have caused outrage. British government members criticized a post by the multi-billionaire on his platform X. In response to an anti-immigration comment and a video of the riots, Musk wrote: "A civil war is inevitable."
The comment was utterly irresponsible, said Justice Minister Heidi Alexander to Times Radio. "We're seeing police officers severely injured and buildings set on fire." Operators of online platforms must exercise their power responsibly. Previously, the spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer had stressed that there is no justification for such comments.
New government holds Musk accountable
Musk had shown a good relationship with Starmer's conservative predecessor, Rishi Sunak. In November 2023, they discussed the risks of artificial intelligence at an international security conference. The new Labour government made it clear to representatives of TikTok, Meta, Google, and X at a meeting with Technology Minister Peter Kyle that the companies have a responsibility to stop the spread of misinformation and hate speech. "There are enormous amounts of content circulating that the platforms need to deal with quickly," said Kyle.
But Musk wasn't backing down. Under a video clip of Starmer, in which the new prime minister announced that he would not tolerate attacks on mosques or Muslim communities, Musk wrote: "Shouldn't you be concerned about attacks on all communities?" Later, the tech billionaire criticized that a man was arrested for offensive comments on Facebook. "Is this Britain or the Soviet Union?" Musk wrote.
Circulating conspiracy theories
According to experts and media, entries on social media have been fueling the ongoing unrest for days. False news is circulating that the attacker who stabbed three girls to death in the city of Southport on July 29 was a Muslim migrant. In reality, a 17-year-old born in the UK to Rwandan parents is in custody. This rumor was also spread by influential accounts and followers of conspiracy theories like British-American influencer Andrew Tate.
Musk is also accused of reinstating bans for known far-right figures like Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, on X. Robinson, who had fled the country and is reportedly on a luxury holiday, has been posting calls for anti-Muslim protests and spreading false news.
In several cities, predominantly far-right rioters have been attacking the police for days. Several officers have been injured, and over 400 people have been arrested. Around 100 people have already been charged, said the head of the CPS, Stephen Parkinson, to the BBC. Parkinson previously held the post of Prime Minister Starmer.
Lastly, riots broke out in the southern English port city of Plymouth and Belfast. For the first time in years, police in Northern Ireland's capital used rubber bullets after being attacked by rioters with petrol bombs and bricks. A man between 50 and 60 years old was severely injured and taken to a hospital. Authorities believe he was a victim of a hate crime.
The new Labour government urged tech companies, including X, to take responsibility for stopping the spread of misinformation and hate speech, following Musk's controversial comments. The Commission, likely referring to a regulatory body overseeing technology and social media, should hold Musk accountable for his actions, argued the Justice Minister Alexander.
