UK regulator warns online platforms of rising risks after Belfast attack
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Banner with a message in memory of student Henry Nowak, the victim of a knife attack in the southern England city of Southampton last December, in east Belfast, Northern Ireland, June 10, 2026. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes
LONDON, June 10 (Reuters) - Britain's media regulator Ofcom on Wednesday warned online platforms of possible legal consequences if their services are used to incite violence and spread hatred linked to recent civil unrest in Belfast, following a knife attack in the city.
Technology minister Liz Kendall said she had asked Ofcom to "discuss urgently" with Elon Musk's X, as well as other platforms, how they would comply with Britain's Online Safety Act.
"Those who use social media to incite violence and disorder are breaking the law," Kendall said in a post on X.
She pointed to measures introduced by the media regulator on Tuesday requiring services to take quicker actions to remove illegal content circulating online during a crisis.
Ofcom said it had told the online providers in a letter that some of the unrest in Belfast appeared to have been fuelled online and included racially motivated violence, arson attacks on homes and vehicles, and assaults on police.
It said it had reminded them of their duties under the act to assess and mitigate illegal content.
(Reporting by William James, writing by Sam Tabahriti)
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