Can platforms slow rumours in a crisis?

Introduction

Can platforms slow rumours in a crisis? Increasingly, regulators and platform operators are trying to do exactly that when viral content appears to create immediate risks to public safety. Crisis protocols are special procedures activated during fast-moving emergencies, such as terrorist attacks, riots, violent unrest, or major public-safety incidents, when normal moderation systems may be too slow to prevent harm. Rather than replacing ordinary content rules, these protocols typically accelerate reporting, increase moderation capacity, establish direct channels with authorities, and prioritise the review of potentially illegal material. Their growth reflects a broader shift in governance: viral falsehoods and illegal content are increasingly treated as collective public-safety risks rather than merely individual mistakes in judgement. [Reuters+2The Guardian]reuters.comThese regulations require online platforms to develop crisis-response protocols aimed at managing surges in illegal content that could en…

For readers interested in independent corroboration of breaking claims, crisis protocols matter because they shape what information remains visible, how quickly harmful rumours are challenged, and which claims receive urgent scrutiny. They are not a substitute for verification, but they are designed to reduce the speed advantage that dangerous falsehoods often enjoy during emergencies.

Why ordinary moderation can lag behind harm

Most content moderation systems are designed for everyday conditions. They process reports, apply automated detection tools, and review disputed material through standard workflows. During a crisis, however, the volume and speed of posts can overwhelm those systems.

A recurring problem is that illegal or harmful content can spread faster than human reviewers can assess it. False accusations, fabricated identities, manipulated images, extremist propaganda, or content encouraging violence may reach millions of users before a platform completes its normal review process. The damage often occurs during those first hours, when facts remain uncertain and emotions are running high. [Reuters]reuters.comThese regulations require online platforms to develop crisis-response protocols aimed at managing surges in illegal content that could en…

The concern is not limited to misinformation in the abstract. Modern regulatory frameworks increasingly focus on situations where online content contributes to real-world harms such as public disorder, hate crimes, terrorist recruitment, harassment, or threats to life. The UK’s Online Safety Act framework, for example, links platform obligations to specific categories of illegal content and now expects services to prepare for sudden surges in such material during crises. [Reuters]reuters.comThese regulations require online platforms to develop crisis-response protocols aimed at managing surges in illegal content that could en…

This explains why crisis protocols usually emphasise speed rather than entirely new rules. The content may already violate existing laws or platform policies; the difference is that the emergency response is activated because delay itself becomes part of the risk.

Law-enforcement channels and crisis escalation

A defining feature of many crisis protocols is the creation of dedicated escalation pathways between platforms, regulators, and public authorities.

Recent guidance from Ofcom in the United Kingdom expects platforms to prepare crisis-response plans, deploy temporary response teams, increase moderation resources, and maintain communication channels through which law-enforcement agencies can rapidly alert platforms to emerging threats. The goal is not to give authorities direct control over moderation decisions, but to ensure that platforms receive timely information when illegal content begins spreading at unusual speed. [Reuters]reuters.comThese regulations require online platforms to develop crisis-response protocols aimed at managing surges in illegal content that could en…

A similar logic appears in international initiatives developed after terrorist attacks. The Christchurch Call, created following the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks, established crisis-response arrangements intended to help governments, technology companies, and civil-society organisations coordinate when terrorist or violent extremist content begins spreading rapidly online. Updated protocols focus on faster information sharing and coordinated responses during attacks and their immediate aftermath. [The Christchurch Call+2The Christchurch Call]christchurchcall.orgThe Christchurch CallThe Christchurch CallChristchurch Call community strengthens crisis response process. The Christchurch Call has stre…

In practice, escalation systems often include:

These mechanisms are intended to prevent situations where dangerous material remains online simply because it arrives faster than ordinary moderation systems can process it.

What crisis rules actually target

A common misconception is that crisis protocols are primarily designed to suppress disagreement or controversial opinions. Most formal frameworks are narrower.

The strongest interventions are generally directed at content that is already illegal or closely connected to recognised public-safety threats. Examples include terrorist attack footage, violent extremist propaganda, incitement to violence, criminal harassment, hate offences, and other unlawful material defined by national law. The UK’s recent crisis-response requirements are explicitly linked to illegal-content duties rather than a broad mandate to remove all inaccurate information. [Reuters]reuters.comThese regulations require online platforms to develop crisis-response protocols aimed at managing surges in illegal content that could en…

In the European Union, the Digital Services Act (DSA) introduced crisis-related mechanisms and protocols that focus on systemic risks during emergencies. These measures are intended to help large platforms respond when extraordinary events create heightened dangers, while remaining subject to legal safeguards and oversight. [European Commission+2dsa-observatory.eu]ec.europa.euEuropean CommissionQuestions and answers on the Digital Services Act*The DSA fosters a co-regulatory framework for online harms, includin…

The distinction matters for critical thinking. A claim may be false without being illegal. Crisis protocols are usually strongest where false claims are intertwined with unlawful activity or imminent threats to public safety.

Why these measures remain controversial

Crisis protocols solve one problem while creating another: acting quickly increases the risk of mistakes.

Researchers, civil-liberties organisations, and legal scholars have warned that emergency systems can encourage over-removal of lawful speech if platforms become excessively cautious during crises. Because information is often incomplete, moderators may struggle to distinguish between dangerous rumours, legitimate reporting, eyewitness accounts, satire, and good-faith discussion. [Taylor & Francis Online+2ARTICLE 19]tandfonline.comTaylor & Francis Online Crisis?What crisis? The risk of fighting disinformation with…by JF Ferreau · 2024 · Cited by 3 — Since the coronavirus pandemic and the war i…

The debate is particularly intense in relation to disinformation. Governments frequently argue that coordinated falsehoods can endanger public safety during wars, pandemics, terrorist incidents, or civil unrest. Critics respond that crisis powers must remain tightly limited and transparent to avoid becoming tools for suppressing legitimate debate. [Taylor & Francis Online+2ARTICLE 19]tandfonline.comTaylor & Francis Online Crisis?What crisis? The risk of fighting disinformation with…by JF Ferreau · 2024 · Cited by 3 — Since the coronavirus pandemic and the war i…

As a result, many contemporary frameworks attempt to balance rapid intervention with procedural safeguards, including transparency requirements, review mechanisms, and obligations to respect fundamental rights. [Digital Strategy+2Digital Strategy]digital-strategy.ec.europa.euOpen source on europa.eu.

What users still need to verify for themselves

Even the most ambitious crisis protocol cannot guarantee that information circulating online is accurate.

Platforms can slow the spread of illegal content, prioritise reports, and coordinate with authorities, but they cannot instantly establish what is true. During breaking events, official information may itself be incomplete, and moderation systems may remove some harmful content while missing other material entirely.

For that reason, the principles of independent corroboration remain essential:

Crisis protocols are designed to reduce the speed and reach of harmful illegal content when events are moving too quickly for ordinary moderation. They can make dangerous rumours harder to amplify, but they do not remove the need for critical judgement. In a fast-moving emergency, the most reliable defence against misinformation remains the same principle that underpins independent corroboration: do not mistake virality for verification.

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Endnotes

1. Source: reuters.com
   Link: https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/tech-firms-uk-must-have-plan-illegal-content-spikes-during-crises-like-southport-2026-06-09/
   Source snippet

   These regulations require online platforms to develop crisis-response protocols aimed at managing surges in illegal content that could en...

2. Source: dsa-observatory.eu
   Title: the dsas crisis approach crisis response mechanism and crisis protocols
   Link: https://dsa-observatory.eu/2023/02/21/the-dsas-crisis-approach-crisis-response-mechanism-and-crisis-protocols/
   Source snippet

   The DSA's crisis approach: crisis response mechanism and...21 Feb 2023 — The DSA also introduces significant rules on the measures that...

3. Source: article19.org
   Title: Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties) Defend Democracy Read more
   Link: https://www.article19.org/resources/eu-digital-services-act-crisis-response-must-respect-human-rights/
   Source snippet

   ARTICLE 19EU: Digital Services Act crisis response mechanism must...13 Apr 2022 — Based on experience of civil society organisations ope...

4. Source: theguardian.com
   Link: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/jun/09/uk-regulator-ofcom-social-media-firms-adopt-measures-stop-viral-illegal-content
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   This move follows concerns about the fast proliferation of misinformation during critical incidents, notably the 2024 summer riots and th...

5. Source: tandfonline.com
   Link: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17577632.2025.2459441
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   Taylor & Francis OnlineEffective enforcement of the Online Safety Act and Digital...by S Law · 2024 · Cited by 19 — The Online Safety Ac...

6. Source: christchurchcall.org
   Link: https://www.christchurchcall.org/
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   The Christchurch CallThe Christchurch CallChristchurch Call community strengthens crisis response process. The Christchurch Call has stre...

7. Source: christchurchcall.org
   Link: https://www.christchurchcall.org/responding-to-crises/
   Source snippet

   The Christchurch CallResponding to CrisesWhen incidents happen, the Call Community works quickly to coordinate and prevent the spread of...

8. Source: christchurchcall.org
   Title: what does our updated crisis response protocol actually do
   Link: https://www.christchurchcall.org/what-does-our-updated-crisis-response-protocol-actually-do/
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   response when content from a terrorist or violent extremist attack is threatening to spread quickly on the internet. Developing and...Re...

9. Source: ec.europa.eu
   Link: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_20_2348
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   European CommissionQuestions and answers on the Digital Services Act*The DSA fosters a co-regulatory framework for online harms, includin...

10. Source: digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu
    Title: dsa impact platforms
    Link: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/dsa-impact-platforms
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    Digital StrategyThe impact of the Digital Services Act on digital platforms19 May 2026 — The DSA significantly improves the mechanisms fo...

    Published: May 2026

11. Source: tandfonline.com
    Title: Taylor & Francis Online Crisis?
    Link: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17577632.2024.2362481
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    What crisis? The risk of fighting disinformation with...by JF Ferreau · 2024 · Cited by 3 — Since the coronavirus pandemic and the war i...

12. Source: tandfonline.com
    Link: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17577632.2024.2362483
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    Taylor & Francis OnlineThe Digital Services Act's red line: what the Commission...by M Husovec · 2024 · Cited by 37 — The Digital Servic...

13. Source: digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu
    Link: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/digital-services-act

14. Source: christchurchcall.org
    Title: significant progress made on eliminating terrorist content online
    Link: https://www.christchurchcall.org/significant-progress-made-on-eliminating-terrorist-content-online/
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    Significant progress made on eliminating terrorist content...24 Sept 2019 — The launch of a new crisis response protocol, to be used by...

15. Source: eu-digital-services-act.com
    Link: https://www.eu-digital-services-act.com/
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    Digital Services Act (DSA) | Updates, Compliance, TrainingIntroduces measures to counter illegal content online and obligations for platf...

16. Source: digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu
    Title: code practice disinformation
    Link: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/code-practice-disinformation
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    2022 Code of Practice on Disinformation7 days ago — The Commission is tackling the spread of online disinformation and misinformation to...

17. Source: ec.europa.eu
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    response to contain the viral spread of terrorist and violent extremist content online.... Factsheet – EU Crisis Protocol to remove viol...

18. Source: elysee.fr
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    The “Christchurch Call To Action” to eliminate terrorist and...15 May 2019 — Support frameworks, such as industry standards, to ensure t...

    Published: May 2019

Additional References

1. Source: techagainstterrorism.org
   Link: https://techagainstterrorism.org/news/christchurch-call-leaders-summit-2023-tech-against-terrorism-calls-for-effective-responses-to-terrorist-crises
   Source snippet

   terrorist and violent extremist content online... Calls for Effective Responses to Terrorist Crises. Tech Against Terrorism Nov 13, 2023...

2. Source: canada.ca
   Link: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-safety-canada/news/2025/10/government-of-canada-announces-more-than-36-million-for-projects-to-help-counter-violent-extremism.html
   Source snippet

   Christchurch Call community to eliminate Terrorist and Violent Extremist Content (TVEC) online... intervention of violent extremism. The...

3. Source: akingump.com
   Link: https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/digital-services-act-protecting-the-digital-space-against-the-spread-of-illegal-content
   Source snippet

   Digital Services Act: Protecting the Digital Space Against...20 Jul 2022 — After having submitted a warning, online platforms must suspe...

4. Source: dia.govt.nz
   Link: https://www.dia.govt.nz/Countering-Violent-Extremism-Crisis-Response-Process
   Source snippet

   How NZ responds to violent... Government's response to the 2019 Christchurch terrorist attack videos and...Read more...

5. Source: research.vu.nl
   Title: reimagining digital governance the eus digital service act and th
   Link: https://research.vu.nl/en/publications/reimagining-digital-governance-the-eus-digital-service-act-and-th/
   Source snippet

   EU's Digital Service Act and the Fight Against...by M Leiser · 2023 · Cited by 11 — This multi-pronged approach seeks to preserve the in...

6. Source: research-portal.uu.nl
   Title: the dsas crisis response mechanism and the indispensability of so
   Link: https://research-portal.uu.nl/en/publications/the-dsas-crisis-response-mechanism-and-the-indispensability-of-so/
   Source snippet

   media regulation, leaving information on those platforms largely unregulated. While social media is a catalyst for disinformation and pro...

7. Source: beehive.govt.nz
   Link: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2022-09/Christchurch%20Call%20Joint%20Statement%202022%20ENG.DOCX
   Source snippet

   1. Incident Response and the Proliferation of Terrorist and Violent Extremist Content.Read more...

8. Source: Lawfare
   Title: the hidden risks of platform control over historical memory
   Link: https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-hidden-risks-of-platform-control-over-historical-memory
   Source snippet

   Hidden Risks of Platform Control Over Historical Memory26 Nov 2025 — Emergency powers in the EU's Digital Services Act risk destroying im...

9. Source: rsf.org
   Title: Digital Services Act includes many RSF’s proposals but
   Link: https://rsf.org/en/digital-services-act-includes-many-rsfs-proposals-ignores-major-issues-press-freedom
   Source snippet

   May 9, 2022 — Digital Services Act includes many RSF's proposals but ignores major issues for press freedom. AFP. Organisation: RSF_en.Re...

   Published: May 9, 2022

10. Source: elysee.fr
    Title: joint statement christchurch call leaders summit 2023
    Link: https://www.elysee.fr/en/emmanuel-macron/2023/11/11/joint-statement-christchurch-call-leaders-summit-2023
    Source snippet

    Joint Statement: Christchurch Call Leaders' Summit 2023.11 Nov 2023 — Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a strong, resilient, and eff...