Musk targets PM again after criticism of UK ‘civil war’ post

Sir Keir Starmer has change into embroiled in a disagreement with Elon Musk, after the tech billionaire instructed that “civil conflict is inevitable” following violent unrest within the UK.

The proprietor of X, previously Twitter, posted the remarks on the platform in response to a video exhibiting folks aiming fireworks at police.

The prime minister’s spokesperson stated there was “no justification” for Mr Musk’s feedback, including there was extra that social media firms “can and needs to be doing”.

Mr Musk then replied to a submit on X from the prime minister – during which Sir Keir stated he wouldn’t tolerate assaults on mosques or Muslim communities – asking: “Should not you be involved about assaults on *all* communities?”

Mr Musk additionally shared a video of an individual purportedly being arrested for offensive feedback on-line, asking: “Is that this Britain or the Soviet Union?”

He additionally replied to a submit criticising UK policing, suggesting the police’s response “does appear one-sided”.

The Prime Minister stated that there will likely be “substantive sentencing” for some rioters by the tip of the weekend and stated “to anyone concerned, both instantly or on-line, you are prone to be handled inside per week”.

When requested about feedback from Mr Musk, Sir Keir stated “my focus is on making certain our communities are protected. That’s my sole focus. I feel it is crucial for us all to help the police in what they’re doing”.

Justice Minister Heidi Alexander has additionally weighed in in opposition to Mr Musk, who has an extended historical past of constructing controversial remarks on-line, for his “completely unjustifiable” and “fairly deplorable” feedback.

Dysfunction has now lasted virtually per week, following the deadly stabbing of three women in Southport. The following unrest in cities and cities throughout England and in elements of Northern Eire has been fuelled by misinformation on-line, the far-right and anti-immigration sentiment.

When requested about accusations of two-tier policing within the UK, Ms Alexander stated that was a “baseless assertion” that does a “disservice to police women and men who exit to do their jobs and uphold the rule of regulation”.

She added social media firms had a “ethical accountability” to name for calm and assist clamp down on misinformation.

The PM’s spokesperson additionally stated social media corporations “have a accountability” to make sure legal exercise – together with from these outdoors the UK – shouldn’t be being shared on-line and state actors could also be amplifying misinformation.

However they might not say which nations the federal government believes are behind the posts.

In the meantime, BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, has urged media regulator Ofcom to think about fining X after this weekend’s dysfunction.

Adam Leon Smith, a fellow of BCS, stated: “When misinformation results in riots and unrest, there have to be penalties. It’s simple to argue that X has proven disregard for public security in internet hosting such content material.

“We urge Ofcom to implement the On-line Security Act as quickly as they’ll, with the complete weight of the regulation and levy important fines in the event that they discover mismanagement on the platform.”

On Monday, Know-how Secretary Peter Kyle stated he had met representatives from TikTok, Fb’s mother or father firm Meta, Google and X “to clarify their accountability to proceed to work with us to cease the unfold of hateful misinformation and incitement”.

The House Secretary Yvette Cooper has additionally stated the federal government wouldn’t tolerate “arm chair thuggery” and social media firms must “take accountability” over on-line posts encouraging criminality.

The BBC has approached X, Meta, TikTok, Snap, Telegram and Sign for remark.

A well-placed supply at Snap, the corporate which runs the social media platform Snapchat, instructed BBC Information it has not been contacted by the UK authorities following the dysfunction.

Snapchat says it has 21 million month-to-month customers within the UK.

Telegram instructed the BBC its moderators have been “actively monitoring the scenario and are eradicating channels and posts containing calls to violence”.

Calls to violence have been explicitly forbidden by the messaging platforms phrases of service, it stated.

Offences regarding incitement below UK regulation predate social media, and are listed below the Public Order Act 1986.

This may occasionally embrace frightening violence and harassment, in addition to participating in rioting.

The On-line Security Act, which grew to become regulation in 2023 however has not but totally come into impact, would require social media corporations to “take strong motion in opposition to unlawful content material and exercise”, together with “racially or religiously aggravated” offences in addition to inciting violence.

The legal offences launched by the act will cowl sending “threatening communications” on-line, and sharing “false info supposed to trigger non-trivial hurt”.

On Monday, Sir Keir emphasised that “legal regulation applies on-line in addition to offline”.

Mr Musk’s feedback have drawn criticism from some on-line, with satirist Armando Iannucci saying the Tesla and House X CEO had been “taken in by your personal platform, which amplifies noise on the expense of details”.

Sunder Katwala, director of suppose tank British Future, stated the submit was “spreading a story that’s essential to socialising folks with pretty excessive view in the direction of condoning violence to guard their group”.

He stated there must be “robust responses from authorities, Ofcom, and parliament” to the feedback.

An Ofcom spokesperson instructed BBC Information it’s “transferring shortly” to implement the On-line Security Act, so it may be enforced “as quickly as potential”.

“When it comes totally into drive, tech corporations must assess the danger of unlawful content material on their platforms, take steps to cease it showing and act shortly to take away it after they change into conscious of it,” they stated.

“We anticipate the unlawful harms duties to return into drive from across the finish of the yr… and the extra duties on the biggest providers in 2026.”