Complaint
A listener complained that an interview with the BBC’s Political Editor Chris Mason failed to make clear that posts by Elon Musk relating to child grooming gangs in the UK were false and “borne of hateful ideology”. The ECU considered whether the broadcast met the standards for accuracy set out in the Editorial Guidelines.
Outcome
The ECU noted that remarks by Mr Mason left audiences in no doubt that Mr Musk’s posts on the subject of grooming had been seriously questioned. However the interview did not set out to fact-check their content. Instead it focused on the political debate which was, in part, sparked by these posts and which looked set to have an impact on the government’s actions on the matter.
Not Upheld