“Debunking” efforts involving police forces, community leaders and local councillors should be deployed to counter misinformation in the wake of serious incidents such as the Southport murders, according to a new analysis.

Trust in the UK government and law enforcement is so low that attempts to curb online falsehoods need to be backed up by other sources, said experts at the Centre for Emerging Technology and Security (Cetas).

“There are quite low levels of trust and confidence in government and law enforcement more generally,” said Sam Stockwell, a Cetas research associate who co-authored the analysis. “So if you can get non-government affiliated sources sharing the same kind of information and facts, you are more likely to be able to resonate and engage with wider audiences.”

The analysis studied the online reaction to the Southport attacks in July last year, which triggered social unrest in England and Northern Ireland, and a vehicle hitting spectators at Liverpool FC’s league title parade in May.

It found that a swift and coordinated response to the Liverpool incident helped reduce the risk of misinformation running rampant on the internet. The analysis added that confusion over whether details about the Southport suspect’s identity could be revealed showed that “law enforcement agencies require clearer guidance from public prosecutors”. Axel Rudakubana was jailed in January for 52 years for murdering three children in the attack.

Soon after news broke of the ...

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