Last week, SNP politician Mhairi Black became the first person in Parliament to use the C-word to reveal the extent of the vitriol she faces online.
Sadiq Khan has now revealed he has been a called a 'muzzie terrorist' and faces death threats on a daily basis during a speech dedicated to calling for tighter tech regulations.
Yesterday, the mayor of London used a speech in the US to read out six abusive tweets he's received over the years and accused the government of a 'dereliction of duty' for allowing big technology companies to be unregulated.
Addressing the South by Southwest technology conference in Austin, Texas, Khan said he was not reading out the Tweets in order to be seen as a victim or ask for sympathy, rather to point out that BAME people might be put off political careers as a result of abuse online.
The politician – who became the mayor of London in 2016 – added:
'What happens when young boys and girls from minority backgrounds see this kind of thing on their timelines, or experience it themselves? Or someone thinking about becoming a politician? And what about young girls and women who are being driven from these platforms, reversing our long fight for gender equality?'
In his speech, Khan cited the following tweets:
Another Tweet included one from @billwall69, who wrote: 'I say kill the Mayor of London and you will be rid of one Muslim.'
Meanwhile, @SpeedwagonPRST tweeted: 'I'd pay for someone to execute Sadiq Khan.'
The politician also criticised governments for 'sitting on their hands while the tech revolution has happened around them'.
'There's been a dereliction of duty on the part of politicians and policymakers to ensure that the rapid growth in technology is utilised and steered in a direction that benefits us all,' he added.
As a result, he called for social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to do more when it comes to combating hate speech online.
'No business or industry should ever consider itself above the local rules, or laws set by democratic processes,' he explained.
'Social media platforms already have a legal obligation to remove content that breaks local laws. But this is not always happening, or happening quickly enough. With the skills and resources these companies have at their disposal – I believe it's possible to go further and faster.'
Khan's suggestion?
For governments to take inspiration from German legislation that levies hefty fines for failure to remove hate speech by social media websites, fake news and illegal material fast enough.
We couldn't agree more, Sadiq.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
