Sadiq Khan has called on ministers to take significantly stronger action against social media companies that spread disinformation, after a study found a rise in hostile accounts posting false claims about London’s crime rates and integration.
In remarks about what he described as the “outrage economy”, the London mayor said the spread of misinformation is undermining public trust. He warned that a failure to act could lead to more domestic terrorism by people persuaded by conspiracy theories they encounter online.
Khan has also written to social media firms demanding change, adding to his push for greater accountability from platforms he says are allowing harmful falsehoods to circulate. The intervention reflects growing concern about the way online content can amplify anger, distortion and distrust at scale.
The mayor’s comments focus in particular on claims about London crime rates, which he says are part of a wider pattern of disinformation that is “eating away at basic bonds of trust”. The warning comes amid renewed debate over how social media companies should respond to misleading content and coordinated hostile activity.
Khan’s appeal places pressure on both government and platform operators to address the problem more aggressively. His argument is that the issue is not simply one of online debate, but one with potential real-world consequences when people come to believe fabricated narratives.
The study he cited points to an increase in accounts spreading falsehoods about the capital, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing policymakers and regulators. Khan’s intervention suggests he sees this as part of a broader threat to social cohesion, particularly when misinformation targets sensitive topics such as crime and integration.
The mayor did not frame the issue as a narrow dispute over content moderation. Instead, he presented it as a wider social and democratic concern, warning that the unchecked spread of falsehoods can corrode confidence in institutions and communities alike.
His comments add to mounting scrutiny of social media firms at a time when governments across the world are under pressure to curb harmful online content without restricting legitimate speech. Khan’s message to ministers was clear: he wants a much stronger response to the platforms he believes are helping to spread deception and hostility.
By linking disinformation to possible radicalisation, Khan underscored the seriousness of the threat as he sees it. His intervention is likely to intensify discussion about what practical steps can be taken to counter the forces he says are driving outrage online.
