Those stoking violence on-line might face jail, Keir Starmer says | EUROtoday

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Anyone whipping up violence on-line will face “the full force of the law”, Sir Keir Starmer has stated, because the Technology Secretary stated social media companies offering “a platform for this hate” should go additional in tackling it.

Downing Street additionally condemned Elon Musk for claiming that “civil war is inevitable” within the UK, and advised that on-line misinformation fuelling dysfunction on Britain’s streets could also be being amplified by international state actors.

After chairing an emergency Cobra assembly on Monday morning, the Prime Minister confused that “the criminal law applies online as well as offline”.

The police, Home Office, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the National Crime Agency are working to sort out criminality on-line and to make sure individuals are prosecuted for on-line prison exercise, in response to a read-out of the Westminster gathering.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman advised reporters: “Anyone who stokes this violence, whether on the internet or in person, can be prosecuted and face prison.”

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle stated the Government is working with social media giants to make sure they don’t seem to be selling inflammatory content material.

In a press release on X, previously Twitter, Mr Kyle stated: “The internet cannot be a haven for those looking to sow division in our communities. Responsibility for harmful social media content principally rests with the individuals and groups who create it.

“But it is undeniable that social media has provided a platform for this hate. We have been clear with these companies they also have a responsibility not to peddle the harm of those who seek to damage and divide our society, and we are working closely with them to ensure they meet that responsibility.”

No 10 additionally warned motion by social media companies to sort out dangerous materials “doesn’t go far enough”.

Sir Keir’s spokesman stated: “The Government is working with social media platforms to ensure that they are removing content quickly, that their processes are in place.

“But there is more that they can and should be doing, as I think the Prime Minister has said, to counter misleading and inflammatory material hosted on their platforms.

“They have a responsibility to ensure the safety of their users and online spaces to ensure that criminal activity is not being posted on their platforms. They shouldn’t be waiting for the Online Safety Act for that.”

Downing Street additionally denounced X proprietor Mr Musk for saying “civil war is inevitable” in response to a publish on Sunday sharing footage of the violence.

“There’s no justification for comments like that,” Sir Keir’s spokesman stated.

“We’re talking about a minority of thugs who don’t speak for Britain.”

Authorities are working to crack down on misinformation and bot exercise, which can be being amplified by hostile state actors, No 10 stated.

“Clearly we have seen bot activity online, much of which may well be amplified with the involvement of state actors amplifying some of the disinformation and misinformation that we’ve seen.

“And that is something that the NCA and DSIT are looking at in relation to what we’ve seen online. I obviously can’t get into more detail than that, but it is clearly something that is being looked at.”

The official declined to get into extra element on which states could also be behind it, however added that “it is clearly something that is being looked at”.