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Ofcom: Clear link between online posts and violent disorder

Regulator says misinformation spread widely and quickly and the response of big tech was "uneven".

In an open letter setting out its findings, Ofcom boss Dame Melanie Dawes said such content spread "widely and quickly" online following the stabbings in Southport, in July, which preceded the disorder. "Posts about the Southport incident and subsequent events from high-profile accounts reached millions of users, demonstrating the role that virality and algorithmic recommendations can play in driving divisive narratives in a crisis period," she added. "I am confident that, had the draft Codes been in force at the time, they would have provided a firm basis for urgent engagement with services on the steps they were taking to protect UK users from harm," Dame Melanie wrote.

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