Tech companies will be forced to ban fake news from their platforms under plans being considered by the Government in the wake of the riots.
Sir Keir Starmer suggested on Friday that the Government would review social media laws as part of efforts to prevent further disorder.
The Telegraph understands that ministers are looking at introducing a duty on social media companies to restrict “legal but harmful” content.
It could mean that firms are required to remove or suppress posts spreading fake news about asylum seekers or other topics such as self-harm, even if they do not meet the threshold for illegality.
However, critics have said the proposals expose “the sinister and authoritarian side” of Sir Keir’s Labour Party, driving “a coach and horses” through the principle of free speech.
The plans come after a row between Elon Musk who owns X, formerly known as Twitter, and the Prime Minister over his handling of the riots.
The potential crackdown on tech companies would likely form part of a review of the Online Safety Act, which was passed last year.
The Act requires platforms to take “robust action” against illegal content and activity and will be implemented gradually.
A “legal but harmful” clause, requiring firms to take down or restrict the visibility of content deemed to be dangerous but not against the law, was included in the original Bill brought forward by the Tories in 2022.
However, it was removed because of free-speech concerns, with critics warning it could allow a future Labour government to censor controversial material.
Kemi Badenoch, a candidate for the Tory leadership, previously described it as “legislating for hurt feelings”.
The clause was replaced with a new “triple-shield” of protections, including a duty on firms to give users the tools to filter out content that they do not want to see.
The final legislation was passed last year, following years of campaigning by The Telegraph for social media firms to be subject to a statutory “duty of care”.
