Ed Davey: Elon Musk must be held criminally liable for harming children online

EMBARGO: IMMEDIATE

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has challenged the Government to stand up to Elon Musk’s attempts to meddle in Britain’s democracy and water down laws to protect children from sexual abuse online.

He has today called for an investigation by Ofcom against X and Elon Musk personally for failing to uphold their duties under the Online Safety Act. He will say that Musk should be held to account for breaching the UK’s online safety laws by allowing the proliferation of child sexual exploitation, self-harm and grooming content on X. 

The Liberal Democrats have also announced they will table a motion as soon as Parliament returns summoning Musk to appear before MPs to be held to account for his actions at last week’s Tommy Robinson rally. The parliamentary device would summon Elon Musk to the bar of the House of Commons to be reprimanded and publicly admonished. The Liberal Democrats are urging the Government and other opposition parties to support the move.

In his speech to the Liberal Democrat Conference in Bournemouth on Tuesday, Ed Davey will argue that Musk – who has incited violence on Britain’s streets and called for the overthrow of the UK government – is motivated by his own ego, power and wealth, rather than the rights and freedoms of the British people.

In his speech to Liberal Democrat Conference on Tuesday, Ed Davey is expected to say:

“We know why Elon Musk is so keen to meddle in our democracy. It’s not because he cares about the British people, and our rights and our freedoms. It’s all about his ego, power and wealth.

“He rails against the Online Safety Act, but not because he cares about free speech. Like so many on the far-right – or the far-left – Elon Musk doesn’t really believe in free speech. He just believes in free speech for people who agree with him.

“It’s because he wants to carry on running his social media platform without taking any responsibility for the terrible harm it is causing – especially to our children.

“X has become a much more dangerous place for children since Musk took over and slashed the platform’s child-safety teams. Promoting self-harm, grooming and sexual exploitation – all happening on Elon Musk’s watch. No wonder he wants to get rid of the laws to tackle it.

“And Nigel Farage says we should give Musk what he wants: a Wild West on social media, that only benefits Musk and his ilk – while children suffer.

“I say no. The UK must stand up to Elon Musk, and properly enforce our laws so he can’t get away with inflicting harm on our kids.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

Under the Online Safety Act, social media companies including X are under a legal duty to protect children from harmful content on their platforms, and their directors are liable for criminal prosecution if they breach it. The Liberal Democrats argue that Ofcom should bring enforcement proceedings against X and Elon Musk personally for failing to uphold their duties under the Act.

The parliamentary motion will call for Elon Musk to be summoned to the bar of the House of Commons to be reprimanded or admonished. The Liberal Democrats are urging all parties, including the government, to support it. The last time the House of Commons used its power to summon non-members to the bar of the House was in 1957. If it passes, Elon Musk would be summoned to appear at the bar of the House.