Elon Musk has faced accusations of criminal behavior due to alleged negligence in safeguarding children online, as communicated by Keir Starmer. The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, has called for the appearance of the world’s wealthiest individual before Members of Parliament following Musk’s address at a rally organized by Tommy Robinson, where Musk warned of impending violence in the UK.
During an interview with Sky News’ Sir Trevor Phillips, Musk was questioned about his potential criminal status to which he responded affirmatively, citing concerns about his platform’s role in promoting violence and controversial content. Sir Ed emphasized the need for Musk to be held accountable for harmful advertisements and content related to self-harm, grooming, and child exploitation present on his social media platform.
Musk’s recent participation in the Unite the Kingdom rally, where he urged the audience to “fight back” or face consequences, has drawn widespread criticism. Sir Ed is expected to address Musk’s motives for influencing democracy, suggesting that his actions are driven more by ego, power, and wealth rather than concern for public welfare and freedoms.
The Liberal Democrats have urged an investigation by Ofcom into Musk’s platform for failing to comply with the Online Safety Act. Tensions between Sir Ed and Musk escalated on social media, with accusations of inciting violence exchanged. The Liberal Democrat leader resorted to mocking Musk with a meme image and plans to table a motion in Parliament to summon Musk for accountability regarding his rally statements.
A parliamentary procedure to summon Musk to the House of Commons for public admonishment is being considered, a rarely used power that has not been invoked on a non-MP since 1957. This move aims to address concerns over Musk’s conduct and the impact of his platform on society, particularly children.