Recommendation 6

Individual police forces did their best to monitor social media ahead of and during the disorder as a source of intelligence. It is important that forces retain local capacity to monitor social media on a business-as-usual basis. However, it is clear that the volume of social media activity, including some originating abroad, as well as the amount of activity taking place on closed platforms such as Telegram, means that in many cases more national support is required. Some of this support was available during the summer disorder but it did not go far enough. It was welcome to hear the Policing Minister suggest that new national functions for social media are being considered, and that the role of technology is being considered to increase cost-effectiveness. (Conclusion, Paragraph 31)