What are the links between social media algorithms, generative AI and the spread of harmful content online?
20 November 2024
Inquiry launch: Social media, misinformation, and the role of algorithms
- Inquiry: Social media, misinformation, and the role of algorithms
- Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee has launched a new inquiry to investigate the relationship between algorithms used by social media and search engines, generative AI, and the spread of harmful and false content online.
This inquiry follows a wave of anti-immigration demonstrations and riots in July and August 2024, with some protests targeting mosques or hotels housing asylum seekers. These are believed to have been partially driven by false claims spread on social media platforms about the killing of three children in Southport.
The inquiry, the first of the newly appointed Commons Committee, will examine the role that social media algorithms and generative AI has in spreading false and harmful content. It will specifically consider the role of false claims, spread via profit-driven social media algorithms, in the summer riots. It will also investigate the effectiveness of current and proposed regulation for these technologies, including the Online Safety Act, and what further measures might be needed.
Chair comment
The Chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee Chi Onwurah MP, said:
“The violence we saw on UK streets this summer has shown the dangerous real-world impact of spreading misinformation and disinformation across social media. We shouldn’t accept the spread of false and harmful content as part and parcel of using social media. It's vital that lessons are learnt, and we ensure it doesn't fuel riots and violence on our streets again.
“This is an important opportunity to investigate to what extent social media companies and search engines encourage the spread of harmful and false content online. As part of this, we’ll examine how these companies use algorithms to rank content, and whether their business models encourage the spread of content that can mislead and harm us. We’ll look at how effective the UK’s regulations and legislation are in combatting content like this- weighing up the balance with freedom of speech – and at who is accountable.”
Terms of reference
Written submissions are invited in response to the following questions. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday 18 December.
- To what extent do the business models of social media companies, search engines and others encourage the spread of harmful content, and contribute to wider social harms?
- How do social media companies and search engines use algorithms to rank content, how does this reflect their business models, and how does it play into the spread of misinformation, disinformation and harmful content?
- What role do generative artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) play in the creation and spread of misinformation, disinformation and harmful content?
- What role did social media algorithms play in the riots that took place in the UK in summer 2024?
- How effective is the UK's regulatory and legislative framework on tackling these issues?
- How effective will the Online Safety Act be in combatting harmful social media content?
- What more should be done to combat potentially harmful social media and AI content?
- What role do Ofcom, and the National Security Online Information Team play in preventing the spread of harmful and false content online?
- Which bodies should be held accountable for the spread of misinformation, disinformation and harmful content as a result of social media and search engines’ use of algorithms and AI?
Further information
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