Liverpool Mayor urges public to consider leaving X soon

Steve Rotheram, the Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, has raised concerns about the impact of Elon Musk's platform, X, formerly known as Twitter, on recent riots and misinformation. He stated that while the platform did not cause the riots, it had a significant influence on the violence, describing it as 'vile' and 'in the gutter.' Rotheram emphasized the need for politicians and the public to consider withdrawing from X, suggesting that a different platform may be necessary to counteract the spread of harmful content. Rotheram's comments come in the wake of a knife attack in Southport and subsequent riots, which he believes were exacerbated by social media. He acknowledged the challenge of navigating this issue as a politician, fearing that withdrawing from X could leave space for far-right groups to dominate the conversation. He called for social media companies to take responsibility for policing their platforms, warning that if they fail to do so, government intervention may be required. The Mayor also supported calls from London Mayor Sadiq Khan to urgently revisit the Online Safety Act, highlighting the dangers posed by unchecked social media. He criticized Musk for adding 'fuel to the fire' and noted that the current state of social media resembles a 'Wild West' environment where misinformation thrives. In response to the riots, Rotheram has proposed interventions to support Southport, focusing on community and mental health resources for those affected by the violence and tragedy. He stressed the importance of addressing the underlying issues of inequality and ensuring fairness in the community's recovery efforts.