Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what reviews and actions she has taken to tackle misinformation, posts and comments of race hate and the incitement of racism on social media platforms operating in Northern Ireland during public disorder in June 2026.

The Online Safety Act requires platforms to tackle illegal content, including that which incites violence and racial hatred. Following the Belfast disorder, Ofcom wrote to platforms to remind them of their duties to assess and mitigate illegal content.

From 2 November, platforms will have new ways to comply with their OSA duties during a crisis. This includes a crisis response protocol that monitors crisis indicators, analysing platforms' response, and maintain communications channel with law enforcement.