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Written question asked by Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 17 November 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 19 November 2025. It was answered by Rushanara Ali (Labour) on Tuesday, 25 November 2025 on behalf of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.


Social Media: Radicalism

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of recent reports that social media platform algorithms may promote harmful or extremist content to users.

Answer

Social media companies must keep people safe on their platforms and holding them accountable is a departmental priority. Under the Online Safety Act, services must tackle illegal content, including terrorist content and that which stirs up hatred based on religion or race, or incites violence. They must also protect children from additional forms of legal content, including that which is hateful or abusive.

The Act is clear that services should take steps to ensure their algorithms do not promote these kinds of content. Ofcom also has robust information gathering and enforcement powers to ensure that services operate their algorithms safely.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
91761
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Radicalism Artificial intelligence Social media
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk