UK regulator Ofcom is adding new measures to its online safety codes of practice that would require tech platforms to have specific protocols ready for surges in illegal content during real-world crises.
The move is a direct response to the riots that swept across England in 2024 following the Southport stabbings. In the aftermath, misinformation and disinformation spread rapidly across social media — particularly on X — fueling racist violence in multiple cities. A review found social media played an “integral role” in amplifying the false narratives that drove the unrest.
What the New Rules Require
Ofcom’s amendments would require platforms to act promptly and effectively when a crisis triggers a significant spike in illegal content. Specifically, the regulator expects providers to deploy a temporary response team as soon as possible when a crisis hits, and to manage the risk of their platform being used to commit or facilitate criminal offenses.
Large platforms would also need to set up a dedicated communication channel for law enforcement agencies to share crisis-related information directly — aimed at faster, more coordinated public safety responses.
After each crisis, platforms would be required to conduct a post-crisis analysis, keep records of key decisions, and evaluate how effective their protocols were. Ofcom can formally request these records.
Why Now
Ofcom’s argument is straightforward: crises are exceptional and infrequent, which means normal content moderation processes aren’t designed to handle them. The 2024 riots proved that when illegal content spreads fast enough during a volatile moment, the offline consequences are severe and immediate.
The regulator has been building toward this for a while. Previous reports established a clear link between social media amplification and the violent riots. X committed to tackling illegal hate and terror content after sustained pressure. But Ofcom clearly thinks voluntary commitments aren’t enough.
What’s Next
These amendments still need to go through the parliamentary process before they take effect. There’s no clear timeline yet for when they’ll appear on the government’s legislative schedule.
But the direction of travel is clear: platforms operating in the UK will increasingly be expected to have crisis-specific safety protocols, not just day-to-day moderation. The companies that already have incident response plans for content surges will be ahead of the curve. Everyone else is about to get a deadline.
