Tech firms in UK must have plan for illegal content spikes during crises like Southport, regulator says
· CNA · JoinRead a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
LONDON, June 9 : Tech firms in Britain will need to have plans to respond to surges in illegal content during crises such as the 2024 Southport riots which threaten public safety under strengthened rules set out by the regulator on Tuesday.
Nationwide violence broke out two years ago following a knife attack in the northern England city of Southport, which left three young girls dead at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class. Authorities said inflammatory and misleading content circulating widely online had fuelled that unrest.
Under the new measures announced by regulator Ofcom, social media and other online platforms would be expected to put in place crisis-response protocols to handle sharp increases in illegal content.
"Given the speed at which online harms can escalate during a crisis, and the serious risks this can pose to public safety, we have decided to accelerate our work on these crisis response measures to ensure that services can begin to take appropriate steps," it said in its protocol published online.
CNA Games
Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time
Buzzword
Create words using the given letters
Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser
Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge
Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
Show More
Show Less
The watchdog said companies should be ready to deploy temporary response teams, boost moderation resources and carry out post-crisis reviews. Larger platforms would also be expected to set up dedicated communication channels for law enforcement during a crisis.
The Online Safety Act, one of the world's strictest online regimes, ties such illegal content to around 140 offences which relate to terrorism, hate, harassment and threats, rather than a broader category of unlawful material.
Companies are responsible for deciding how to act on such risks, based on the regulator's guidance.
Newsletter
Week in Review
Subscribe to our Chief Editor’s Week in Review
Our chief editor shares analysis and picks of the week's biggest news every Saturday.
Sign up for our newsletters
Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app