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LONDON — Elon Musk is “accountable to no one,” Britain’s tech secretary lamented, as the billionaire’s response to race riots that have gripped the U.K. comes under mounting scrutiny.
Science and Tech Secretary Peter Kyle — directly responsible for British government engagement with social media companies — joined in the chorus of criticism aimed at Musk, who has been slammed by a number of U.K. government figures for posts he has made on the violent disorder gripping Britain as well as his platform’s handling of disinformation.
In an interview with the Times newspaper, Kyle said dealing with tech giants like Musk is “more akin” to diplomacy with other countries than typical business dealings — and pointed to the controversy over the use of Musk’s Starlink satellite system throughout the war in Ukraine.
“Elon Musk has the power to have a profound impact [on] the outcome of the war between Russia and Ukraine and he is one person who is accountable to no one,” Kyle said.
“People who know him say ‘there’s a lot of depth to him. Never underestimate his intellect.’ But I also don’t underestimate the impact that he can have, not just on public discourse, but on actual facts on the ground,” Kyle added.
“The relationship we have with some of these companies is much more akin to the negotiations with fellow secretaries of state in other countries … most of these five companies have foreign policies.”
Musk has faced criticism in recent days amid rioting and violent disorder in Britain. The unrest began after the killing of three young girls in a knife attack on a children’s dance class in Southport last Monday, which was swiftly followed by false claims on social media, including X, about the identity of the attacker.
The X owner has also directly clashed with the British government. He suggested Sunday that “civil war is inevitable” in the U.K., earning himself a direct rebuke from British PM Keir Starmer’s spokesperson.
The tech boss continued the war of words, branding Starmer “twotierkeir” Tuesday in an apparent reference to claims that British police deal less harshly with non-white violence. He has also likened the U.K. to the Soviet Union.
POLITICO reported Tuesday night that MPs running to head up the British parliament’s tech committee want to haul in Musk for a grilling on X’s response to the riots.
