“I would certainly like the opportunity to cross-examine him to see … how he reconciles his promotion of freedom of expression with his promotion of pure disinformation.”
Tech billionaire Elon Musk is set to be summoned before Parliament to testify about X’s role in spreading misinformation, following the riots in Southport over the summer.
Politico reports: “The Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee is set to invite Trump’s “first buddy” Elon Musk here, too — to give evidence about disinformation on social media. MPs have kicked off an inquiry into “false and harmful content” after Britain’s summer riots that was spread by algorithms, AI, and X owner Musk himself.”
Over recent months, Musk was accused of fanning the flames of division, after claiming that the UK was ‘headed for civil war’ after scenes of far-right violence and thuggery in towns and cities across the UK following the horrific murder of three young girls in Southport.
The riots occurred after misinformation was shared on social media, including on X, claiming that the perpetrator of the mass stabbing in Southport was an asylum seeker. Three young girls were killed in the attack which took place during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class. Eight other children suffered stab wounds and at least two were in a critical condition, alongside two adults.
Following the attack, rioting broke out in Southport, with a mosque attacked, resulting in 27 police officers being taken to hospital. Police have said they believe the men involved were part of the far-right English Defence League. Within hours of the horrific attack, the far-right were spreading misinformation about the identity of the attacker on social media.
The Guardian reports that senior executives from Meta, which runs Facebook and Instagram, and TikTok are also expected to be called for questioning as part of a Commons science and technology select committee social media inquiry.
Chi Onwurah, the Labour chair of the select committee, told the Guardian: “[Musk] has very strong views on multiple aspects of this.
“I would certainly like the opportunity to cross-examine him to see … how he reconciles his promotion of freedom of expression with his promotion of pure disinformation.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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