Misinformation has played a role in the riots we have seen over the last seven days

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In the newsletter this week...
1. UK riots fact checked (#body1)
2. What role did misinformation play in riots after the Southport stabbings? (#body2)
3. Claim two protesters were ‘stabbed by Muslims in Stoke’ is false (#body3)
4. Also this week... (#morefacts)

But first...

In the face of some distressing violence and scenes of unrest across the country in recent days, we at Full Fact hope that you are all doing as well as you can be, and are safe and supported.

The disorder we’ve seen, triggered at least in part by false claims circulating on social media in the wake of the Southport stabbings last week, is an awful reminder of what can happen when online misinformation spills into the real world.

An incorrect name for the Southport suspect, “Ali Al-Shakati”, spread rapidly online, alongside false claims he had recently come to the UK on a small boat, or was Syrian. As we wrote in our fact check, these claims were quickly rebutted by Merseyside Police. But nevertheless, unrest broke out in Southport, with Merseyside Police reportedly saying people behind the violence had been fired up by social media posts.
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This is why at Full Fact we are campaigning for better regulation of online misinformation by amending the Online Safety Act—or bringing in new legislation—to better address harmful misinformation and disinformation.

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The Full Fact Team


** UK riots fact checked ([link removed])
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Our new explainer answers key questions about the disorder which has broken out across the UK in recent days.

We’ll be updating this explainer in the coming days.

If you’ve seen something we should add, or have a question you’d like us to answer, please contact us by email at [email protected].
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** What role did misinformation play in riots after the Southport stabbings? ([link removed])
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After three children were killed in a shocking attack at a Taylor Swift-themed children’s dance class in Southport last Monday, misinformation about the identity of the suspect circulated online, and the subsequent week has seen a number of riots and violent protests in different parts of the country.

But to what extent can misinformation be blamed for fuelling the riots? We’ve taken a look at how some of the false claims spread and why people may be more likely to believe misinformation when such events occur.

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** Claim two protesters were ‘stabbed by Muslims in Stoke’ is false ([link removed])
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Claims that two protesters were “stabbed by Muslims in Stoke” over the weekend have been widely circulating on social media.

Staffordshire Police has confirmed “this information is false and no stabbings have been reported to police, despite videos fuelling speculation on social media”.
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