Earlier this month, Surrey police reported an alleged gang rape of a young woman in Epsom. Further information was unforthcoming, and the vacuum was filled by increasingly frenzied speculation on social media, driven by what a BBC headline called a “rage bait frenzy”.
‘Rage bait’ is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative or offensive”. It may contain no truth but seeks to stir engagement through fury.
In Epsom this frenzy led to local protests, with echoes of the 2024 riots that took place following the dreadful murders of three little girls at a dance class in Southport.
Protesters demanded that the police release descriptions about the suspects’ nationalities. They targeted hotels that were rumoured (wrongly) to be housing asylum seekers. They blocked roads, damaged vehicles and threw missiles at the riot police deployed against them.
However, it turns out that police could not release further information about the suspects, because they could find no evidence that the offence had actually taken place at all. It now appears that the young woman had “sustained an accidental head injury” and “made a confused report”.
Today we are so used to receiving instant information, that we seem to expect a running commentary on police investigations. Mistrust of authority has increased to the extent that we assume there is a cover-up if we do not receive all the details immediately.
It’s also clear that social media has fundamentally changed the way we generate ‘news’ and the way we relate to one another both online and in real life, as well as the way in which police and politicians are expected to do their jobs.
A fake or speculative story can travel round the world in minutes and will be accepted as fact by millions. And AI can make it very convincing, creating fake incidents and even literally putting words into people's mouths.
Christians are by no means immune from this type of moral panic formed on the basis of rumour and conjecture, so how can we make sure that we are, in Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:16, “wise as serpents and innocent as doves” in our online interactions?
Firstly, we are commanded not to bear false witness but value the truth. We should pray for “the Spirit of wisdom and understanding” commended in Isaiah 11: 2. Let’s make sure we check the sources and evidence for the claims that we read online.
Are they reported by any genuine news outlets? Or do they appear to be coming from accounts that primarily seek to stoke division and anger by using language that scapegoats or dehumanises groups of people who are not ‘like us’? We should not share anything on social media that we do not know to be true – and we should submit our own ‘side’ (if we have one) to as much scrutiny as those with whom we disagree.
We should also beware of those who offer simplistic solutions to complex problems. If we are serious about tackling the challenges our country faces, we need to inform ourselves of the issues and not accept the claims of anyone who says they have an easy answer.
Secondly, we can't control the tone of others' debate but we can be careful about our own contributions. Let’s seek to speak with civility and respect, acting as peacemakers and ensuring that our conversation is “always full of grace, seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6).
We should avoid personal attacks and perhaps step away from debates that encourage people to take outraged and polarized positions. Let’s remember that we are to be salt and light in society, and we should not set out to agitate or offend. There is a difference between speaking truth and spreading disinformation, between free speech and inflammatory speech.
And remember that we are ultimately accountable for every word we say, or indeed type on social media or even by private messaging. Jesus says: “I tell you that on the day of judgement people will have to account for every careless word they speak. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:36-37).
We can use our words and our actions to make an impact within our own circles and communities. Let’s be those who make a positive impact, not a harmful one.
Finally, let’s be persistent in prayer. We have the privilege of being able to take our feelings of anger and powerlessness to our Creator, to intercede for peace and pray for those in authority. Let’s continue to do this, as Paul exhorts us in 1 Timothy 2, so that in these turbulent times, “we may live peaceful and quiet lives” in our local communities.
Tim Farron has been the Member of Parliament for Westmorland and Lonsdale since 2005 and served as the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Party from 2015 to 2017. Tim is also the host of Premier’s ‘A Mucky Business’ podcast, which unpacks the murky world of politics and encourages believers around the UK to engage prayerfully. He is the author of A Mucky Business: Why Christians should get involved in politics."
