2026-05-15 14:07:46

X has pledged to speed up its response to reports of illegal hate speech and terrorist content in the UK under new commitments agreed with communications regulator Ofcom.

The Elon Musk-owned platform said it would review reports submitted through its illegal content reporting tool within an average of 24 hours.

The company also promised to assess at least 85 per cent of reports within 48 hours.

Ofcom’s online safety director Oliver Griffiths described the measures as “a step forward”, particularly following recent religiously motivated attacks targeting Jewish communities in Britain.

The announcement follows the launch of an Ofcom compliance programme in December examining whether major social media platforms have adequate systems to deal with illegal hate and terror content.

Griffiths said the regulator had found evidence that such material was “persisting on some of the largest social media sites”.

He added that Ofcom was pushing platforms to take firmer action against harmful content online.

Under the agreement, X will provide performance data to Ofcom every three months over the next year so the regulator can monitor whether the company is meeting its targets.

The platform has also committed to consulting external experts about how reports of suspected hate and terrorist content are handled.

Ofcom said some organisations had previously raised concerns after reporting “multiple pieces” of illegal content without clarity over whether the complaints had been received or acted upon.

X additionally pledged to restrict UK access to accounts identified as being operated by, or on behalf of, terrorist organisations banned in the UK.

A separate Ofcom investigation into X’s AI chatbot Grok remains ongoing over concerns the tool was used to generate sexualised images.

Danny Stone, chief executive of the Antisemitism Policy Trust, welcomed the move but warned further action was needed.

He said: “X is failing in so many regards to tackle open racism on its platform.

“We know where this online harm leads, and so for the sake and safety of all of us in Britain, I hope Ofcom will hold X to account for what it has promised the regulator it will do.”

Iman Atta, director of anti-Muslim hate monitoring project Tell Mama, said the commitments signalled “a more accountable approach”.

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