Social media giants should be held to same legal standards as newspapers and TV stations, MPs say
SOCIAL media chiefs cannot keep raking in mega-profits while Britain burns from rioting, MPs raged last night.
Sites including X, TikTok and Facebook should be held to the same legal standards as newspapers and TV stations, they said.
It comes as a thug became the first to admit stirring up racial hatred on social media over the riots.
Politicians hit out at the failure of tech bosses, including Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Nick Clegg, to ban accounts inciting violence from far-right thugs and hardline Islamists.
In Britain newspaper chiefs who publish content encouraging extremist violence could be shut down.
But billionaire Silicon Valley tycoons in sunny California can let their algorithms push conspiracy theories that end in yobs looting, smashing up shops and attacking police.
Lies spread on social media have triggered violence after the murders of three girls in Southport last week.
Multiple posts falsely claimed the suspect was a Muslim asylum-seeker, while a bogus news account posted an incorrect name. The boss of Hope Not Hate also wrongly claimed a Muslim was attacked with acid by yobs.
Tory James Cleverly said he warned execs to stop disinformation when Home Secretary.
He added: “It is unacceptable for them to take the profits but not comply with their responsibilities.”
Labour MP Josh Simons, who worked for big tech in AI, said their algorithms had led to violence.
He added: “Tech bosses can’t expect to have power that far outstrips any newspaper editor, without any of the responsibilities.”
Labour MP Chris Curtis told The Sun: “Social media bosses need to step up and deal with the kind of vile messages we’ve seen stoking division and egging on violence in recent days.
“There’s a direct line from the disinformation and hate spread on these platforms to broken windows and burned down shops in our communities today.
“Meanwhile they’ve pocketed bumper profits from publishing content online – it’s high time they took a level of responsibility to match.”
Ex-Labour frontbencher Fabian Hamilton said: “Social media companies should also be held accountable for the hate, division and far right militancy that has been whipped up on our doorstep.
“Most of the media is regulated in one way or another which prevents such irresponsible, dangerous and provocative rhetoric from spreading disinformation across our country.
“There are also serious questions to answer about the involvement of rogue state actors.”
Tory leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick urged the Prime Minister to ensure watchdog Ofcom, the police and intelligence services can punish online ringleaders.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has indicated that the Online Safety Act, brought in last year, might need extra powers to deal with misinformation and inciting violence.
Yesterday, Jordan Parlour, 28, of Leeds, was remanded in custody after urging Facebook followers to attack a hotel housing migrants.
Anyone inciting this thuggish behaviour will face severe consequences
CPS director Nick Price
He admitted an offence under the Public Order Act and will be sentenced on Friday.
CPS director Nick Price warned “anyone inciting this thuggish behaviour will face severe consequences”.
No10 said it was working with tech companies to ensure harmful content was removed quickly but insisted they must do more “to counter misleading and inflammatory material”.
