X’s Moderation Gap: Racist Abuse of UK Politicians Persists

In May–June 2026, X declined to remove posts flagged by British Future as containing the N-word or the “P-word” against UK politicians Kemi Badenoch, Shabana Mahmood and Humza Yousaf. Of 30 N-word and 33 “P-word” posts reported via the “hate, abuse or harassment” tool, only two N-word and twenty “P-word” posts were restricted in the United Kingdom; the rest stayed online.

The Guardian

The UK Online Safety Act requires removal of illegal content. X treats reports made through the “illegal content” option as subject to a 48-hour expedited review, while reports filed under the general “hate, abuse or harassment” category follow standard policies and do not trigger the same timeline. British Future, led by researcher Avaes Mohammad and director Sunder Katwala, reported the abuse. Ofcom monitors compliance, and Elon Musk, X’s owner since 2022, has cut trust-and-safety staff.

The Guardian

British Future recorded 30 N-word posts against Kemi Badenoch (spiking to 16 on 2 June), 33 “P-word” posts targeting British Asian figures (plus nine later in May), and one account posting the N-word 45 times in a week without suspension.

The Guardian

Ofcom said it “condemns racism in all its forms” and that its role is to ensure platforms have “appropriate measures in place to comply with their duties,” without dictating removals. The regulator noted X pledged to review UK-suspected illegal terrorist and hate content within 24 hours and will conduct quarterly reviews. X did not comment.

The Guardian

British Future said X’s reliance on illegal-content reporting creates a “loophole” that lets racists operate. The think-tank flagged X’s geo-blocking, which limits content only in the UK, warning that unchecked hate could fuel ethnic tensions in Kenya.

X Faces Global Backlash Over Refusal to Ban Racist Slurs

British Future said X restricted 20 of the 33 “P-word” posts after Ofcom contact, but left the rest untouched. X gave no official stance and declined comment.

The Guardian

• “Many people will intuitively report racist posts as ‘hate, abuse or harassment’ – but it seems X doesn’t consider it as hate. Our research found that it was only when a post is described as illegal, which they can’t dispute, that they will consider taking it down.” — Avaes Mohammad, British Future researcher

The Guardian

• “The accounts we are reporting are often replete with mentions of Reform and Restore,” — Avaes Mohammad, British Future researcher

The Guardian

• “ Ofcom said it condemned racism “in all its forms”, and its job was to ensure sites had “appropriate measures in place to comply with their duties” rather than telling them what to take down.” — Ofcom spokesperson

The Guardian

• “to reviewing and assessing UK suspected illegal terrorist and hate content reported through its dedicated UK illegal content reporting tool” — Ofcom spokesperson

The Guardian

Ofcom will conduct quarterly reviews of X’s compliance with the Online Safety Act, and UK regulators may consider stricter enforcement if the platform continues to rely on geo-blocking.

X Faces Global Backlash Over Refusal to Ban Racist Slurs