British online safety regulator Ofcom has accepted commitments from X to reduce illegal hate and terror content on its platform in the UK. The commitments include withholding access to accounts linked to UK terrorist groups and assessing at least 85% of reported terror and hate speech within 48 hours.
Commitments Made by X
X will collaborate with experts on reporting systems for illegal content and submit quarterly performance data to Ofcom over the next year. This move is part of a compliance probe initiated by Ofcom in December to ensure social media platforms are addressing illegal content effectively.
Statements from Ofcom
Oliver Griffiths, Ofcom's online safety director, remarked, "These commitments are a step forward, but there's a lot more to do." He noted that terrorist content and illegal hate speech continue to be issues on major social media sites, and Ofcom expects X to take firm action.
Ongoing Investigations
Ofcom is also investigating how X's chatbot handles illegal content, following instances where Grok was used to digitally undress people without consent. This separate investigation remains open.
Potential Penalties
If X fails to uphold its commitments, Ofcom may impose fines. However, the regulator has not yet held X liable for current non-compliance with UK online safety rules. The commitments are seen as vague, with no clarity on whether content reviews will be conducted by humans or automated systems, and concerns have been raised about X's safety team's capacity.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/tech/931147/x-illegal-hate-terror-content-ofcom-commitments
