UK Officials Direct Online Platforms on Content During Belfast Unrest

Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said on June 11, 2026, that the internet regulator will wield enhanced powers to tackle false information online during times of crisis. He confirmed the regulator has already contacted platforms regarding the Belfast unrest.

Benn stated that putting false information online is not acceptable and it may well be a criminal offence depending on the circumstances as the chief constable made clear yesterday.

He added that the definition of a time of crisis will be set out in due course. A serious knife attack on a local man by an asylum seeker occurred in Belfast on Monday night. Protests that followed involved vehicle fires, arson attacks on homes, and clashes with police that injured a dozen officers.

Ofcom published an open letter this week addressing the Belfast situation. The letter states that following a serious knife attack that took place in Belfast on Monday night, we have seen civil unrest in the city, some of which appears to have been incited online.

Ofcom's letter states that previous crises have shown how a sudden increase in the amount of illegal content circulating online can manifest in hate crime and violence in the real world.

It confirmed new measures added to its online safety codes of practice under which platforms should have procedures in place to respond to spikes in illegal content during a crisis. The new measures are expected to be enacted by platforms immediately, without waiting for parliamentary approval.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall stated that next week we will lay in Parliament an update to the Online Safety Act requiring services to take quicker action to remove illegal content circulating during times of crisis.