The UK government has sharply criticized Elon Musk following his inflammatory comments about recent riots in the country. The disturbances, driven by far-right groups and anti-immigration sentiment, have sparked violent clashes in cities like Liverpool and Manchester over the past week.
Musk's response to a post about the riots on his social media platform, X, declared, “Civil war is inevitable.” This statement drew immediate backlash from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other officials. On Monday, Starmer’s spokesperson dismissed Musk's remark as baseless and condemned the violence as the work of a small group of troublemakers that does not represent the majority of Britons.
“The prime minister believes that such comments are unjustified and not reflective of the true nature of the protests,” the spokesperson said. “The response from communities across the UK, coming together to clean up and support each other, demonstrates the spirit and resilience of our nation.”
Heidi Alexander, the UK’s courts minister, echoed these sentiments, calling for responsible use of social media platforms. She criticized Musk’s language as “totally unjustified” and emphasized that social media should not amplify misleading or inflammatory content.
Technology Minister Peter Kyle has engaged with social media companies to address misinformation related to the riots, which began as anti-immigration demonstrations and escalated into violent acts, including attacks on shops and mosques. Alexander stressed the moral responsibility of these platforms to prevent the spread of harmful content.
The UK’s Online Safety Act, which aims to combat illegal and harmful online content, is still being rolled out. Although Ofcom, the regulator responsible for enforcing the act, is working to implement its provisions, it currently lacks the full authority to address the misinformation fueling the unrest.
As of Tuesday, Musk continued to engage with the topic, sharing a video related to the riots, which CNBC has not independently verified. Musk’s recent decisions to reinstate controversial figures like Tommy Robinson and Andrew Tate on X further complicate the situation, drawing additional scrutiny.
The unfolding situation underscores the critical role of social media in shaping public discourse and the ongoing challenges in regulating digital content responsibly.
