In an interview with the Times newspaper, Peter Kyle, the U.K.'s Secretary of Science, Innovation and Technology, expressed concerns over Elon Musk's influence on public discourse, calling him "the one person who is accountable to no one." Kyle's remarks further amplify recent criticisms from senior government officials regarding the billionaire's controversial statements.

Kyle emphasized that Musk wields significant power to shape major world affairs, including the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. He also highlighted the unique relationship that Britain has with companies like X and other major social media firms, noting that negotiations with them resemble discussions with foreign governments due to their extensive scale and reach.

The minister's comments were made before the recent riots in the U.K., which made Musk's controversial remarks even more significant. Musk, the owner of X social media site and CEO of Tesla, posted a message on his platform suggesting that immigration could lead to civil war in the U.K., stirring widespread criticism.

Peter Kyle is not alone in his disapproval of Musk's comments. On Monday, the official spokesperson for the British Prime Minister denounced such statements, stating that there is "no justification" for them. Likewise, U.K. Courts Minister, Heidi Alexander, urged individuals with a social media platform to act responsibly and condemned Musk's association of the riots with civil war as "totally unjustified."

Taking the matter into his own hands, Kyle has engaged in discussions with various social media firms, including TikTok, Meta (Facebook's parent company), Google, and X, reminding them of their duty to combat online misinformation. These conversations were initiated in the context of the riots, as the U.K. government seeks to enforce the Online Safety Act passed last year. However, the regulatory powers under this law have not yet been fully implemented, and therefore, the media and telecommunications watchdog, Ofcom, is unable to take action against companies facilitating harmful content related to the ongoing riots. Ofcom assured that it is working swiftly to enforce the act and expects the new duties on tech firms to actively police their platforms to come into full force by 2025.

As of now, Tesla's press office has not responded to requests for comment from Elon Musk regarding the criticisms. The full interview with Peter Kyle can be found in the original Times report.

In a time where social media plays a prominent role in shaping public opinion, the scrutiny surrounding Elon Musk's statements highlights the vital need for accountability and responsibility online. The U.K. government continues to engage with major tech companies to ensure the curbing of misinformation and the promotion of a safe online environment.