UK Attorney General Bans Staff from Using X Amid Disinformation Fears

The UK Attorney General, Richard Hermer, has directed his office to cease posting on the social media platform X, marking the first government department to do so. This decision follows violent riots in Southampton and Belfast, where far-right agitators utilized X to incite unrest. Officials are now instructed to use the platform solely for combating disinformation. The riots were linked to inflammatory posts on X, including calls for violence in response to racially charged incidents. Eleven police officers were injured during the Southampton riots, while the Belfast riots involved attacks on minority communities. The government plans to amend the Online Safety Act to enforce quicker removal of harmful content, but changes will not take effect until mid-July. Meanwhile, the media regulator Ofcom is set to evaluate X's compliance, with a report due in two months.

Key Points: • UK Attorney General Richard Hermer has banned his office from using X due to disinformation concerns. • Recent riots in Southampton and Belfast were fueled by far-right agitators on X, leading to violence. • The government plans to amend the Online Safety Act to expedite the removal of harmful content.