The UK Parliament’s Science, Innovation and Technology Committee is preparing to summon Elon Musk to testify regarding X’s (formerly Twitter) alleged role in spreading disinformation during violent summer riots, Bloomberg reports.
The cross-party committee is investigating the impact of misinformation and social media algorithms on the unrest, which saw attacks on immigrant hostels following the false online claim that a Muslim asylum seeker was responsible for the murder of three girls.
The invitation to Musk, who owns X and has been a vocal critic of the UK government, comes amidst already strained UK-US relations. President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration is set to include Musk in a key role, adding further complexity to the situation. Tensions are already high following accusations by Trump’s legal team of Labour Party interference in the US Presidential election. Musk’s own controversial X posts, including his statement that “civil war is inevitable” during the riots, and his alignment with figures like Nigel Farage, who called Prime Minister Keir Starmer a threat to free speech, further complicate matters.
Downing Street previously dismissed Musk’s “civil war” comment as “unjustified.” Musk has since defended those charged for their online activity related to the riots.
The committee, chaired by Chi Onwurah MP, aims to explore the apparent contradiction between Musk’s advocacy for free speech and his perceived promotion of disinformation on X. Onwurah stated that she wants to understand “how he reconciles his promotion of freedom of expression with his promotion of pure disinformation.”
The committee’s investigation also extends to Meta and TikTok, with senior executives from both companies scheduled to appear before MPs to discuss the role of generative AI in creating and disseminating inflammatory images used to incite participation in the protests.
Should Musk refuse the invitation, the committee has the power to issue a summons, a rarely used measure previously employed against figures such as Dominic Cummings and Rupert Murdoch.
