The riots that started in Southport and then spread across the country were triggered by fake viral claims published and promoted on tech platforms. As rumours remake reality, social media powered by the tech giants serves to fuel violence on Britain’s streets and promotes a world without truth or mercy.
Cyberspace was to be a new frontier of freedom, breaking down barriers between establishments and the people. As with popular democracy, social media purported to usher in an age of mass media democracy where everyone could comment and opine. Liberated from the constricting shackles of editorial gatekeepers and their paymasters in the legacy media, consumers of news were now also co-creators of knowledge.
Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month
Content from our partners
