The Lost Accountability: How “Misinformation” Worsened Disruptions in Britain
The violent unrest in Britain since late July 2024 has highlighted the extensive negative impacts that “misinformation” can have. Protests that escalated into violence erupted in cities and towns across Britain following the spread of misleading information on social media, alleging that a Muslim migrant was involved in the death of three young girls at a dance party in Southport, Merseyside, on July 29.
These protests occurred despite the fact that British police had arrested the suspect in the murder, a 17-year-old named Axel Mugwanya Rudakubana, from Cardiff, Wales, with Rwandan parents, who was charged with murder and attempted murder. The riots in Britain continued for over a week, primarily fueled by far-right groups. This situation underscores the role that misleading content on social media and digital platforms can play in inciting political and social unrest.
The Spread of Misinformation
It is crucial to distinguish between “misinformation” and “fake news.” Misinformation refers to incorrect information shared by individuals believing it to be true, without malicious intent. This can arise from misunderstandings, unintentional distortions of facts, or the dissemination of unverified information. For instance, a scientific report might be mistranslated, leading to the spread of incorrect information about a particular result, creating misunderstandings among the public without any intent to deceive.
On the other hand, fake news involves content deliberately created to mislead, often with the aim of influencing behavior or changing public opinion on a particular issue by presenting false information as true. For example, a targeted campaign might promote false news about a new product or a public figure to manipulate public opinion and achieve political or economic gains.
While fake news is often closely related to politics, misinformation is broader, covering various topics like health, environment, economy, and social issues across all platforms.
The widespread use of the internet and social media amplifies the spread of misinformation. Such information is often disseminated through digital platforms before being covered by traditional media and news outlets. Artificial intelligence has facilitated the large-scale spread of misinformation to thousands, if not millions, of people simultaneously. Social media algorithms, which tailor content according to user preferences, ensure that any interaction, even negative, helps the content—regardless of its accuracy—reach a broader audience. These algorithms only understand whether something is popular or not, isolating users from diverse perspectives that could help them verify the accuracy of circulating information and news.
The Situation in Britain
On July 29, 2024, Southport, England, witnessed a tragic incident where a knife attack at a children’s dance class resulted in the deaths of three girls aged between 6 and 9 years, and left eight other children and two adults with serious injuries. The police arrested the suspect, charging him with murder and attempted murder, stating that he was 17 years old. Initially, the attack was not considered a terrorist act, and details about the suspect were not released due to his age, which legally protected his identity.
Following the incident, misinformation spread on social media claiming that the suspect was an unauthorized Muslim migrant. This misleading information was seized upon by far-right groups to incite protests against the government and stir up anti-migrant sentiments, exploiting the lack of detailed information about the suspect. The day after the stabbing, far-right supporters organized anti-Muslim protests in Southport and attempted to attack the town’s mosque.
Social media algorithms played a significant role in the widespread dissemination of this misinformation in Britain, leading to the expansion of protests to other cities across the country, including Hull, Liverpool, Bristol, Manchester, Stoke-on-Trent, Blackpool, Belfast, and even London. The protests involved violent acts such as arson, clashes with police, and vandalism of property, including mosques and asylum seekers’ accommodations.
Amid the spread of misinformation about the suspect’s identity and the far-right’s blame on government immigration policies for the incident, which prolonged the protests for nearly a week, the court lifted the restriction on disclosing the suspect’s identity due to his age. It was revealed that his name was Axel Mugwanya Rudakubana, from Cardiff, Wales, born to Rwandan parents. This disclosure aimed to counter the false narrative surrounding the incident.
Government Actions
The British government has taken a series of measures to improve the accuracy of information shared and protect the community from the negative impacts of misinformation. Authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation to trace the source of the misleading information that fueled recent unrest, examining the role of social media and traditional media in spreading and amplifying inaccurate information without proper verification.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer strongly condemned the violence resulting from misinformation and announced his government’s intention to introduce new legislation aimed at improving transparency on social media and enhancing accountability for tech companies regarding content. These legislations include imposing fines on companies that fail to promptly remove misleading information.
Additionally, the British government is working with major tech companies such as Facebook, X, and Google to develop new tools and technologies for faster detection and identification of incorrect information. The Department for Culture and Media has launched awareness campaigns to teach the public how to verify information and recognize misinformation and fake news.
Previous Crises
The recent unrest in the UK due to misinformation is not an isolated case. There is a long history of incidents and crises exacerbated by the spread of misleading information about natural phenomena and health crises. One prominent example is the earthquake that struck Surigao del Sur in the Philippines in December 2023, causing significant damage to infrastructure and homes. Misleading information about a potential tsunami spread widely on social media, unsupported by scientific evidence, and was accompanied by manipulated photos and videos suggesting that the earthquake had triggered underwater volcanic eruptions, leading to catastrophic coastal flooding.
An analysis of social media data revealed that these tsunami warnings, based on misinformation, were shared over 150,000 times within the first 24 hours, causing widespread panic and confusion, worsening the earthquake’s aftermath. Many Filipinos, already anxious due to the earthquake, hurriedly evacuated their homes, leading to chaotic scenes as residents fled to higher ground. This widespread panic not only disrupted daily activities but also placed an additional burden on emergency teams already busy assessing the earthquake damage, as resources were diverted to manage the effects of misinformation.
In another example, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how misinformation can exacerbate global health crises. Misinformation about the virus, its origins, and treatments spread widely on social media, often overshadowing accurate information from health authorities, leading to public confusion and resistance to health measures in many countries.
The spread of misinformation during the pandemic had severe consequences. Unfounded claims about treatments led to dangerous behaviors and, in some cases, fatalities. Misinformation about vaccines increased hesitancy and resistance, hindering efforts to achieve herd immunity. Moreover, conspiracy theories linking 5G technology to COVID-19 led to arson attacks on mobile phone towers in the UK.
Overall, the recent violent protests in the UK have once again highlighted the grave consequences of misinformation, underscoring the need for a comprehensive approach to address it. This approach should include improving content detection technologies, enhancing transparency of algorithms used on social media platforms, increasing efforts to reduce “media illiteracy” among individuals to better evaluate information, and enforcing strict laws to ensure accountability for digital platforms and promote the dissemination of accurate information.
