Elon Musk may soon face a parliamentary inquiry in the UK over the role of his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), in fueling race riots that have shaken the
country. The inquiry could also focus on Musk’s own controversial comments about the violence.
Labour MPs Chi Onwurah and Dawn Butler, both vying to lead the parliamentary committee on science, innovation, and technology, have expressed their intentions to press Musk and other tech executives on how social media platforms like X may have contributed to the escalating unrest.
Musk has been embroiled in a public feud with British politicians, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, over the UK’s handling of the riots. In a provocative statement on Sunday, Musk declared that "civil war is inevitable" in the UK and criticized the police response as “one-sided.”
The recent far-right riots erupted across the UK following the tragic stabbing of three young girls during a dance class in Southport last Monday. Misinformation spread rapidly on X, falsely identifying the attacker as an asylum seeker newly arrived in the country. This incident has intensified scrutiny on X, especially after Musk reinstated the account of Tommy Robinson, a well-known far-right activist and co-founder of the English Defense League.
Both Onwurah and Butler have emphasized the need for greater transparency from social media platforms like X. Onwurah, who has previously criticized Musk for X's role in disseminating misinformation, stated that platforms must not contribute to racial hatred. She confirmed that if elected to chair the committee on September 11, she would push for Musk to testify.
Butler, the MP for Brent East, echoed these sentiments, stressing the importance of questioning all social media platform owners. She also shared her personal experience of reporting abusive messages on X, only to be told they didn’t meet the threshold for removal, highlighting the need for more transparency in the platform's processes.
The potential showdown between Musk and the British parliament underscores the growing tension between tech giants and government oversight. While House of Commons committees have the authority to summon individuals and demand records, this power is generally limited to those currently in the UK. In the past, tech executives, such as Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, have evaded such inquiries, despite the potential reputational damage.
A government minister recently condemned Musk’s comments about a "civil war" in the UK as “deplorable,” insisting that social media companies have a “moral responsibility” to curb content that incites hatred. Photo by StreetMic LiveStream, Wikimedia commons.