London : Tech billionaire Elon Musk may soon be called before the UK Parliament to address the role his platform, X (formerly Twitter), played in fueling the riots that erupted across the country this summer. Lawmakers are reportedly considering holding Musk accountable for the spread of inflammatory content that allegedly contributed to the unrest.
This follows Italian President Sergio Mattarella’s rebuke of Elon Musk last week after Musk tweeted on X about Italian court rulings that had impeded Italy’s right-wing government’s plans to process certain asylum-seekers in Albania.
According to a report by The Guardian, first hearings are expected in the new year, where MPs will investigate the impact of generative AI, particularly its role in creating images shared on Facebook and X that incited Islamophobic protests following the killing of three schoolgirls in Southport in August.
“Mr. Musk is the most senior representative of X and one moreover who we know has very strong views on misinformation, communication, free speech and society,” Onwurah said.
“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,” he added.
UK’s Inquiry Into AI And Social Media Misinformation
Onwurah further stated that the inquiry would aim to investigate the connections between social media algorithms, generative AI, and the spread of harmful or false content. She also commented on Elon Musk’s frustration over not being invited to a UK government investment summit in September, suggesting she would like to invite him to attend the upcoming inquiry hearings.
During the summer riots, Elon Musk criticised Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government for its harsh response to the unrest. In retaliation, UK ministers condemned Musk’s remarks as ‘totally unjustifiable’ and ‘pretty deplorable’.
Elon Musk was not invited to a major investment summit hosted by the Labour government last month, which led to further criticism from him. Since then, he has become a close adviser to US President-elect Donald Trump, giving him significant influence over the incoming administration. Musk is also set to co-lead a government advisory body focused on efficiency.
