In London, on 20 November 2023, police chiefs and assistant chiefs expressed their concerns over the role that misinformation online plays in fueling the actions of increasingly younger demographic communities involved in violent and disorderly activities, including the tragic killing of three young girls in Southport in July. They also highlighted the rising cost of the police operation, estimated at £31.7 million, and warned of the expected increase in this figure.
The summary begins with an internal dialogue between police chiefs and assistant chiefs during the July riot, as reported by Assistant Chief Constable Mark Williams at the APCC and NPCC Partnership Summit in London. During their statements, both groups emphasized the importance of responsible technology ownership and international efforts to stop misinformation from spreading online. They also mentioned the placement of officers in the worst affected areas, as part of an attempt to prevent future events.
Assistant Commissioner Matt Jukes, Head of Counter-Terrorism Policing, cited the Report on Electronic Information and online affairs released by the National Police Co-ordination Centre (NPoCC). He noted that misinformation is one of the biggest challenges to national policing since the 2011 riots and stated that the National Mobilisation Plan will be evoked by the NPoCC to deploy officers to protect the most vulnerable communities.
West Mercia Police Commissioner John Campion highlighted the impact of misinformation on communities, noting that some people felt they had legitimate cause to protest, while others were more oriented toward violence and damage. He demanded that the public have access to accurate information to prevent such actions from repeating.
The report from HMCO and PCC emphasized the monitoring of public order shifts over 12 days, with over 40,000 hours of shifts for public order officers defending against the violence and disorder. The estimated cost of the operation stands at £31.7 million, with the risk of rising costs noted by the report.
However, the costs are despite the impact of misinformation on communities. Assistant Commissioner Mark Williams argued that years of training and technical equipment have made it difficult to detect and combat misinformation online. He also mentioned that the misinformation has become part of the daily fabric of communities containing false information that affects people’s lives.
The discussion concluded with a call for closer co-targeting and snapshots to prevent misinformation from entering public discourse. It also emphasized the need for young people to be educated about misinformation, ensuring they can identify harmful content and respond appropriately when it arises. The summit underscored the importance of a proactive approach to dealing with misinformation and its impact on public safety.