Foreign bots 'turbo-charged' misinformation during riots after fatal Southport attack, claims counter-terror boss

20 November 2024, 16:08 | Updated: 20 November 2024, 16:22

The spread of misinformation during the post-Southport riots was "turbo-charged" by foreign bots, the police officer in charge of UK counter-terrorism has said.

Matt Jukes also hit out at "unhelpful" domestic commentators who know that police cannot release certain information during ongoing court proceedings but present that as conspiracy.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is among those who have claimed there has been a cover-up over the Southport murders.

The latest figures from the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) show policing disorder over the summer cost £31.7 million.

Over a 12-day period, police clocked up more than 40,000 hours of public order shifts, the NPCC said.

So far 1,590 people have been arrested, of whom 17% were children aged 17 or under.

Speaking to journalists at a policing conference in Westminster on Wednesday, Mr Jukes said: "The vast majority of that messaging, which was problematic online, was domestic, driven by people who lived in our communities, who were stoking fear in those communities.

"But we have seen that turbo-charged by bots online. And so as we were tracking the amount of traffic, hateful traffic, during the 24-hour period across the days, we would see tremendous spikes as around midnight, bots kicked in.

"And we would just see the amplification, automation of that reach of those messages which were at times hateful, at times misinformation."

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Some of the bots are thought to have been based in Russia.

It is estimated that 99 of the 1,590 arrests were for online offences, while the rest were for disorder or violence in real life.

Mr Jukes went on: "There's a legend which has emerged that the thought police were out arresting hundreds and hundreds of people for having opinions.

"And the reality is the hundreds and hundreds of people who were arrested were arrested because of their suspected involvement in violence, criminal damage, direct harms in communities."

He also hit out at commentators online who have claimed information has been covered up about the Southport investigation.

"We do need responsible commentators," Mr Jukes said.

"It is unhelpful when people who I suspect fully well know what the constraints are on reporting during ongoing legal proceedings, point to limited disclosures or limits on what can be said as evidence of cover up and conspiracy."

He also called on social media platforms to take responsibility for misinformation.

"One of the driving groups in relation to disorder during the summer was 10,000 plus people on Telegram, a company which has got, I believe, 900 million users, and have only recently got in the region of 100 staff," Mr Jukes said.

"So there is a need for responsible investment by governments in law enforcement, by governments in regulators, and by people who make billions out of the information environment."

Last month, the suspect in the Southport murders, appeared in court on murder, ricin and terror charges.

18-year-old Axel Rudakubana appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court via video link on Wednesday to face both charges, keeping his grey sweatshirt pulled up over his mouth and nose.The teenager stands accused of the production of ricin and possession of an Al-Qaeda Training Manual.

The force confirmed the charges relate to the production of a biological toxin under section 1 of the Biological Weapons Act 1974 and possession of information - namely a PDF manual - likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism.

The short hearing saw the two new charges read out in addition to three charges of murder, 10 of attempted murder and the possession of a bladed article.

Appearing before a judge, Rudakubana, who can now be identified after a judge lifted reporting restrictions, refused to speak.

His case has now been sent to Liverpool Crown Court.