UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government is contemplating significant revisions to the Online Safety Act following a recent surge in misinformation and related violence. This consideration comes in the wake of anti-immigration protests and inflammatory comments by X owner Elon Musk, which were widely disseminated and contributed to unrest.

According to industry sources who spoke to CNBC, the Labour government is exploring a review of the Online Safety Act, which mandates that tech giants prevent the spread of illegal and harmful content on their platforms. These discussions are ongoing, and the sources are not authorized to disclose details about the potential changes.

Recent statements from top officials suggest that the government may seek to strengthen the Act to address disinformation, hate speech, and incitement to violence more effectively. “There are obviously aspects of the Online Safety Act that haven’t come into effect yet. We stand ready to make changes if necessary,” said Nick Thomas-Symonds, minister for the Cabinet Office.

The Online Safety Act is a comprehensive piece of legislation aimed at compelling social networks and video streaming services to eliminate illegal content. It includes new duties for tech companies to identify, manage, and mitigate risks associated with harmful material. Once fully enacted, Ofcom, the media and telecommunications regulator, will have the authority to impose fines of up to 10% of a company’s global annual revenues and potentially pursue criminal charges against senior managers for repeat violations.

Currently, the Act’s full provisions are not expected to take effect until 2025, pending further consultation on conduct codes. However, recent events have accelerated calls for a quicker implementation. The catalyst for these calls was a tragic incident in Southport, Merseyside, where a 17-year-old attacker was falsely identified online as an asylum seeker. This misinformation led to violent anti-immigration protests, further fueled by controversial comments from Elon Musk, who suggested that civil war might be imminent.

Musk’s posts, including a misleading image of a fake headline, were widely shared and condemned by the UK government. When asked about Musk’s comments, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that there was “no justification” for such statements.

The debate over revising the Online Safety Act reflects broader concerns about its effectiveness in handling misinformation. Despite the Act addressing certain disinformation issues, critics argue that it does not adequately cover domestic misinformation. “I think what the government should do very quickly is check if it is fit for purpose. I think it’s not fit for purpose,” said Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.

Joe Ondrak from Logically noted that while the Act contains provisions for dealing with disinformation, particularly from foreign state actors, it falls short in addressing domestic sources of misinformation.

As the UK government considers potential amendments, it remains unclear how or when these changes will be implemented. Analysts suggest that the review may not result in substantial reforms until the Act is fully in force, possibly in 2025. “I think this is a way of sounding tough but putting off a difficult decision,” one industry source remarked.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, responsible for overseeing online safety regulations, has not yet commented on the matter.

(Adapted from CNBC.com)