Elon Musk's social media platform X has been accused of failing to act against dozens of posts containing racist abuse directed at British politicians and public figures, including messages using the anti-South Asian P-word, despite repeated reports from campaigners, according to a report in The Guardian.
Details of the Report
Researchers from British Future, a UK think tank focused on social cohesion, said the platform declined to remove many posts reported through its hate, abuse or harassment reporting system. The platform only acted in some cases when content was specifically flagged as potentially illegal under Britain's Online Safety Act.
The organization reported 33 posts on May 15 containing the P-word and targeting public figures from South Asian backgrounds, including Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, former Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf, and politician Zarah Sultana.
Platform's Response
According to British Future, none of the posts had been removed 48 hours after being reported. The group said X subsequently advised it to use a separate reporting mechanism designed for potentially illegal content under UK law. It is understood that, following further engagement and contact from regulator Ofcom, visibility of 20 of the posts was restricted within the UK, while others remained accessible.
Among the messages cited by researchers was a post directed at Yusuf telling him to return to Pakistan while using the P-word, a racist slur historically used against people of South Asian origin.
Researcher's Observations
Avaes Mohammad, a researcher with British Future, said the platform's reporting system appeared to distinguish between content categorized as hate speech and content deemed illegal under UK legislation. 'Our research found that action was far more likely when content was reported as illegal rather than simply as hate, abuse or harassment,' Mohammad said.
The think tank also highlighted separate incidents involving racist abuse directed at Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, including multiple posts using the N-word. It said only a small number of reported posts resulted in action by the platform.
Concerns and Legal Obligations
British Future argued that the approach risks creating an environment in which users posting racist content face few consequences. The group noted that none of the account holders responsible for the reported posts had been suspended.
The UK's Online Safety Act places obligations on online platforms to address illegal content, including some forms of racially aggravated abuse. Ofcom said it condemned racism in all its forms and was focused on ensuring platforms complied with their legal obligations. The regulator said X had committed to reviewing reports of suspected illegal terrorist and hate content submitted through its dedicated UK reporting channel within an average of 24 hours. X did not respond to requests for comment.
