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Politics
Jun 22, 2026
Analyzed by GPT OSS 120B

UK Attorney General Orders Department to Cease Posting on X Over Disinformation Risks

AI Summary
The attorney general for England and Wales, Richard Hermer, has instructed his department to stop using the Elon Musk‑owned platform X, citing growing concerns about the site’s role in inciting violence and racism. The move follows recent riots in Southampton and Belfast that left eleven police officers injured and heightened fears of coordinated disinformation campaigns.

Executive Decision to Pull Government Posts from X

The attorney general for England and Wales, Richard Hermer, told his office that it should no longer post on X, making his department the first UK government body to abandon the platform amid mounting worries about its use to fuel violence and racist narratives.

Hermer’s Department Halts Use of X After Southampton and Belfast Violence

The last official post from Hermer’s office appeared on Friday before the directive was issued. Officials have been instructed to use X only for the narrow purpose of combating disinformation, not for routine communications.

Downing Street has repeatedly defended the use of X, arguing that it remains a vital channel to reach the public despite criticism that the platform promotes far‑right and racist content.

Injury Toll and Incident Timeline

  • Eleven police officers were injured during widespread violence in Southampton, sparked by a protest over the Henry Nowak case.
  • Six days later, unrest erupted in Belfast after far‑right activists called for demonstrations following a stabbing incident involving a Sudanese refugee.

Both episodes were linked by officials to coordinated calls on X that amplified community tensions.

Implications for UK Social‑Media Policy and the Online Safety Act

The decision underscores growing ministerial anxiety about social‑media platforms’ influence on public order. Ministers are planning amendments to the Online Safety Act that would require faster removal of inflammatory content during riots, though the changes are unlikely to take effect before mid‑July.

For now, any formal reprimand of X will be left to Ofcom, which is awaiting its first quarterly compliance report from the platform—a report not due for at least two months.

What the Next Steps Could Mean for Platform Regulation

If the amended Online Safety Act is enacted, social‑media firms could face tighter obligations to police hate‑filled or incite‑to‑violence material in real time, potentially reshaping how UK government departments engage online.

Meanwhile, the broader ban announced by Downing Street on many social‑media sites for users under 16 signals a more aggressive stance toward digital safety, suggesting that further restrictions on X and similar platforms may follow.