UK regulator reminds social media platforms of legal duty to limit hateful content
Ofcom issued an open letter citing the Online Safety Act 2023 after unrest in Belfast. The letter follows a stabbing and subsequent riots that prompted widespread online posts about immigration.
EngadgetThe UK's communications regulator has reminded social media platforms of their legal obligation to reduce hateful content under the Online Safety Act 2023. The letter states that platforms must assess and mitigate risks of illegal activity, including content that stirs up hatred or provokes violence. It also directs platforms to lower the chance that such material appears.
Background on recent events A man was stabbed in Dublin, and a Sudanese national was charged with attempted murder. The incident quickly led to online discussion focused on the attacker's nationality. Overnight, masked individuals set fire to homes in immigrant neighborhoods in Belfast.
Content targeting immigrants and spreading unverified claims about the stabbing circulated widely on social media.
Platform obligations and prior commitments Ofcom's letter follows its announcement one day earlier of new measures for handling spikes in illegal content during crises. The regulator also referenced a May pledge by one platform to reduce hate and terror content. In May, Meta filed a lawsuit against Ofcom, arguing that the agency's penalty regime is disproportionate.
