The usage of the messaging app Telegram in the UK surged during a peaceful candlelight vigil held in Southport for the three girls who were brutally murdered in a large-scale knife attack, turning the vigil into a night of rioting associated with the far-right group, the English Defence League.
Telegram is known for its
hands-off
approach to content moderation and is facing increased pressure in the UK to crack down on extremist organizations on its platform. It has become a primary tool for mobilizing thugs and inciting unrest.
According to data from online analytics company Similarweb, the active users of the app rose from an average of around 2.7 million to 3.1 million on the day of the knife attack in the northern English seaside town on July 29, 2024.
The figures soared to 3.7 million the next day as local violence focused on attacks against a local mosque, with at least 50 police officers injured in the violent events in Southport. Merseyside Police believe that the far-right English Defence League, founded by activist Tommy Robinson, was behind some of the violent incidents.
Telegram usage returned to average levels over the weekend, according to Similarweb data.
The riots in Southport sparked a nationwide wave of violence, with UK ministers, police, and analysts stating that these violent incidents were fueled both by online platforms (including Telegram, TikTok, and Elon Musk's X) and their organization.
Tech Against Terrorism, a UN-supported counterterrorism tech organization, issued an
emergency alert
on Wednesday about far-right extremists using Telegram to organize the UK riots. The organization mentioned a 15,000-member Telegram group that has now been taken down, which shared a list of protest targets, including locations related to immigration.
Telegram's inadequate moderation of extremist channels is exacerbating violence and unrest in the UK,
Tech Against Terrorism stated.
As several UK towns braced for further violence on Wednesday, media regulator Ofcom called on tech platforms to
proactively
remove materials that incite racial hatred or promote violence.
We welcome the proactive stance some services are taking around violent behavior across the UK,
Ofcom said.
New safety duties under the Online Safety Bill will come into force in the coming months, but you can take action now - there's no need to wait to make your site and apps safer for users.
