Belfast violence aided, fueled by 'social media barons like Elon Musk,' says UK Lib Dem leader

UK Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has accused "social media barons" and their algorithms of helping to fuel violence in Belfast, using Prime Minister's Questions to urge the government to take tougher action against online platforms.

The exchange comes after widespread unrest on Tuesday evening, when anti-immigration demonstrations took place across Northern Ireland in response to Monday's knife attack in north Belfast.

Several protests descended into violence, with homes and vehicles set alight and public transport disrupted.

Referring to the recent disorder, Davey told MPs on Wednesday: "Too many times we see the same pattern, an appalling crime that makes us all feel immense pain and anger, and then extremists who exploit that grief and anger to spread hatred and violence, aided and abetted by social media barons like Elon Musk and their divisive algorithms.

"Does the Prime Minister agree this is not who we are as a country and that it is not free speech? It is controlled by tech billionaires and their algorithms. So, we crack down properly on platforms like X that are fueling violence and hatred," he added, referring to Musk's US-based social media company.

Responding, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the government would act against those responsible for deepening divisions, while stressing the need for calm amid tensions in Northern Ireland.

"We will crack down on anyone who is fueling this division," the prime minister said.

Starmer warned that "we are heading into a very difficult situation in Northern Ireland" and revealed that he had spoken to senior political and policing figures earlier in the day.

"As I say, I've spoken to the chief constable, the first minister, and the deputy first minister this morning," he told the Commons.

"They are united in saying we should all be calling for calm."

He praised police officers dealing with the unrest, adding: "The police are on the front line, and it's our duty as politicians to call for that calm."

In an apparent rebuke to those seeking to inflame tensions, Starmer said: "Nobody who's a politician should be whipping up division and hatred."

Musk has repeatedly intervened in debates around anti-immigration unrest and far-right violence in the UK, using his social media company to amplify criticism of the government's handling of disorder and migration.

During the 2024 riots that followed the Southport murders, Musk attracted widespread criticism after posting that "civil war is inevitable" and promoting claims that fueled political controversy around the unrest.

Since then, he has continued to comment on cases that have become flashpoints for the British far right, accusing authorities of bias and sharing content that critics say inflames tensions.

And now he once again engaged with and promoted posts related to the latest far-right riots in Northern Ireland.