MPs are to summon Elon Musk to testify about X’s role in spreading disinformation, in a parliamentary inquiry into the UK riots and the rise of false and harmful AI content, the Guardian has learned.
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.
The first hearings will take place in the new year, amid rising concern that UK online safety laws risk being outpaced by rapidly advancing technology and the politicisation of platforms such as X.
The MPs will investigate the consequences of generative AI, which was used in widely shared images posted on Facebook and X inciting people to join Islamophobic protests after the killing of three schoolgirls in Southport in August. They will also investigate Silicon Valley business models that “encourage the spread of content that can mislead and harm”.
The first hearings will take place in the new year, amid rising concern that UK online safety laws risk being outpaced by rapidly advancing technology and the politicisation of platforms such as X.
The MPs will investigate the consequences of generative AI, which was used in widely shared images posted on Facebook and X inciting people to join Islamophobic protests after the killing of three schoolgirls in Southport in August. They will also investigate Silicon Valley business models that “encourage the spread of content that can mislead and harm”.
“[Musk] has very strong views on multiple aspects of this,” said Chi Onwurah, the Labour chair of the select committee. “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.”
Musk, the owner of X, fumed when he was not invited to a UK government international investment summit in September. Onwurah told the Guardian: “I’d like to make up for that by inviting him to attend.”
LightBackground9141 on
He will give zero shits. He already thinks the UK is a joke
Jamie00003 on
Social media is an absolute cesspool, but it’s not X/Elon’s fault morons use it to spread BS, though he can for sure be blamed for allowing it to spread
[deleted] on
[removed]
ViridianDarkness on
Fine. Now when are they summoning all the politicians, civil servants and NGO leaders whose imposition of an open-door migration policy and refusal to police our borders created the underlying issues that caused this summer’s unrest?
Ok_Journalist_2289 on
Dear MPs. Good luck with that. Do you think the US will submit to the stupidity of the UK.
Hahahahahah
Girthenjoyer on
I hope the MPs conducting the hearing are well prepared. Musk is a loose cannon who doesn’t give a shit. Could easily go how it did for the US when they summoned Galloway.
LifeMasterpiece6475 on
He is a USA citizen, a country that guards free speech more than anything. Why would he bother to take any notice of the UK summoning him.
And when he totally ignores it it will make the UK government appear weaker than they even appear now.
divine_pearl on
Whats with the comments here? Sometimes this sub is unhinged
cjc1983 on
With his new US govt role won’t he have diplomatic immunity?
XoxHANNIBALxoX on
This could turn out bad for the government, he’s more than likely to give them some truths that they might not want to hear.
slaia on
I don’t believe he would testify, as there will be no consequences anyway. But if not showing up means x would be banned, then he would comply. He’s like a mini Trump as we can see with the x case in Brazil. He stood up against Brazil, but didn’t dare to do the same to Turkey or China.
Talentless67 on
I am sure he is already practising tugging at his forelocks
Virtual-Feedback-638 on
They might as well piss and drink it, Elon thinks them numbskulls, a joke and then some.
Dull-Equipment1361 on
Hopefully he uses the platform to tear the MPs a new one
Letterboxd28 on
Summon him? Who the fuck do our MP’s think they are? They didn’t care about disinformation when Jack Dorsey was in power, if anything it was worse back then due to the removal of political peoples accounts.
PhoenixNightingale90 on
Go after the rioters.
Go after the people making FB posts.
Go after Elon Musk.
Do anything but acknowledge the genuine concerns a lot of people have seems to be their strategy.
Southport didn’t happen in a vacuum, it’s not normal for one incident to incite riots across the country. People remember 7/7, Ariana Grande, London Bridge, Reading, Lee Rigby, Sir David Amess, and it’s not a stretch to say this attack looked like it had similar fingerprints all over it.
Cynical_Classicist on
Or will we capitulate to Trump again as Musk is his ally.
Middle_Step44 on
Why not investigate role of quran in inciting violence towards disbelievers?
banisheduser on
And if he doesn’t attand, block Twitter, Tesla imports…
No, that’s right, we won’t do that because we’re weak.
AnalThermometer on
Pointless to appear when the Labour chair of the committee has already made her mind up before hearing anything. It isn’t Musk’s fault that UK policies have created a tinderbox on the issue of immigration, which is easily lit by people talking freely online.
21 Comments
MPs are to summon Elon Musk to testify about X’s role in spreading disinformation, in a parliamentary inquiry into the UK riots and the rise of false and harmful AI content, the Guardian has learned.
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.
The first hearings will take place in the new year, amid rising concern that UK online safety laws risk being outpaced by rapidly advancing technology and the politicisation of platforms such as X.
The MPs will investigate the consequences of generative AI, which was used in widely shared images posted on Facebook and X inciting people to join Islamophobic protests after the killing of three schoolgirls in Southport in August. They will also investigate Silicon Valley business models that “encourage the spread of content that can mislead and harm”.
The first hearings will take place in the new year, amid rising concern that UK online safety laws risk being outpaced by rapidly advancing technology and the politicisation of platforms such as X.
The MPs will investigate the consequences of generative AI, which was used in widely shared images posted on Facebook and X inciting people to join Islamophobic protests after the killing of three schoolgirls in Southport in August. They will also investigate Silicon Valley business models that “encourage the spread of content that can mislead and harm”.
“[Musk] has very strong views on multiple aspects of this,” said Chi Onwurah, the Labour chair of the select committee. “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.”
Musk, the owner of X, fumed when he was not invited to a UK government international investment summit in September. Onwurah told the Guardian: “I’d like to make up for that by inviting him to attend.”
He will give zero shits. He already thinks the UK is a joke
Social media is an absolute cesspool, but it’s not X/Elon’s fault morons use it to spread BS, though he can for sure be blamed for allowing it to spread
[removed]
Fine. Now when are they summoning all the politicians, civil servants and NGO leaders whose imposition of an open-door migration policy and refusal to police our borders created the underlying issues that caused this summer’s unrest?
Dear MPs. Good luck with that. Do you think the US will submit to the stupidity of the UK.
Hahahahahah
I hope the MPs conducting the hearing are well prepared. Musk is a loose cannon who doesn’t give a shit. Could easily go how it did for the US when they summoned Galloway.
He is a USA citizen, a country that guards free speech more than anything. Why would he bother to take any notice of the UK summoning him.
And when he totally ignores it it will make the UK government appear weaker than they even appear now.
Whats with the comments here? Sometimes this sub is unhinged
With his new US govt role won’t he have diplomatic immunity?
This could turn out bad for the government, he’s more than likely to give them some truths that they might not want to hear.
I don’t believe he would testify, as there will be no consequences anyway. But if not showing up means x would be banned, then he would comply. He’s like a mini Trump as we can see with the x case in Brazil. He stood up against Brazil, but didn’t dare to do the same to Turkey or China.
I am sure he is already practising tugging at his forelocks
They might as well piss and drink it, Elon thinks them numbskulls, a joke and then some.
Hopefully he uses the platform to tear the MPs a new one
Summon him? Who the fuck do our MP’s think they are? They didn’t care about disinformation when Jack Dorsey was in power, if anything it was worse back then due to the removal of political peoples accounts.
Go after the rioters.
Go after the people making FB posts.
Go after Elon Musk.
Do anything but acknowledge the genuine concerns a lot of people have seems to be their strategy.
Southport didn’t happen in a vacuum, it’s not normal for one incident to incite riots across the country. People remember 7/7, Ariana Grande, London Bridge, Reading, Lee Rigby, Sir David Amess, and it’s not a stretch to say this attack looked like it had similar fingerprints all over it.
Or will we capitulate to Trump again as Musk is his ally.
Why not investigate role of quran in inciting violence towards disbelievers?
And if he doesn’t attand, block Twitter, Tesla imports…
No, that’s right, we won’t do that because we’re weak.
Pointless to appear when the Labour chair of the committee has already made her mind up before hearing anything. It isn’t Musk’s fault that UK policies have created a tinderbox on the issue of immigration, which is easily lit by people talking freely online.