Kendall signals regulatory shift on social media amid Southampton unrest
Government considers empowering Ofcom and algorithm resets following riots, as committee chair criticises slow legislative progress
UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has confirmed the government is considering new measures to curb the spread of misinformation during public crises, a move accelerated by recent riots in Southampton. Speaking after the unrest, which erupted following the police response to the fatal stabbing of Henry Nowak, Kendall stated she was “very concerned” about the role of social media platforms in times of disorder and insisted she would not be “bullied off” Elon Musk’s X platform.
The government is currently reviewing recommendations from the Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, which previously called for the media regulator Ofcom to implement “crisis response protocols” to hold platforms accountable. The committee’s investigation was launched after the summer 2024 riots in Southport, where its report found that misleading and hateful messaging proliferated rapidly online, amplified by the recommendation algorithms of social media companies.
Kendall highlighted the need to enable users to reset their social media algorithms, noting that many individuals feel trapped by content feeds they cannot control. She also pointed to the slow pace of legislative change, observing that the Online Safety Act took eight years from initial discussion to implementation. She contrasted this duration with the annual parliamentary vote on finance bills, arguing that regulatory frameworks must evolve more rapidly to match the speed of technological development.
Committee chair Chi Onwurah criticised the current regulatory landscape, describing the Online Safety Act as “woefully inadequate” and riddled with gaps. Onwurah noted that while the secretary of state had previously praised the committee’s report, no progress had been made to update the regulations in the year since its publication, asserting that the current system is not up to scratch.
The political tension surrounding the platform was underscored by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s accusation that Musk was interfering in UK politics. Musk has repeatedly posted about the Nowak case, including a post sharing comments from far-right MP Rupert Lowe that received more than 25 million views. In contrast, Kendall’s recent post regarding a visit to Liverpool University garnered significantly lower engagement. Meanwhile, Labour MP Jess Asato is taking legal action against Musk’s xAI company over demeaning material created by its Grok AI tool, a decision Starmer has praised.