UK MPs summon Musk, Meta and TikTok executives over AI-driven disinformation in summer riots
UK parliamentarians summoned Elon Musk, Meta and TikTok executives to testify about their platforms' roles in spreading disinformation during summer 2024 riots triggered by false information about the Southport killings. The House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee is investigating how generative AI images were used to incite participation in the violent disturbances.
What happened
The House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee invited Elon Musk to give testimony about X's role in spreading disinformation during the summer 2024 riots in the United Kingdom. The committee also planned to summon executives from Meta and TikTok to be questioned about their platforms' roles in the incidents.
The riots were triggered by the killing of three girls in Southport on 29 July, after false information spread that the perpetrator was a Muslim asylum seeker. The committee is investigating the consequences of generative artificial intelligence, which was used in widely distributed images on Facebook and X that incited people to join protests.
Reported impact
The committee is investigating the role of disinformation, social media and their algorithms in the violent disturbances. It is also investigating Silicon Valley business models that 'encourage the spread of content that can mislead and cause harm'.
Index analysis
During the riots, Elon Musk made several comments on the X platform, including that 'civil war is inevitable', which was rejected as 'unjustified' by British officials. Musk repeatedly attacked Prime Minister Keir Starmer in posts on X and agreed with a statement by Nigel Farage that Starmer 'represents the greatest threat to freedom of speech we have seen in our lifetime'.
Governance controls
The first hearings are expected to take place in 2025. Committee chairman Chi Onwurah stated he would 'certainly like to have the opportunity to question [Musk] to see how he reconciles promoting freedom of speech with promoting pure disinformation'.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.