Ofcom Online Safety Director Suspended over Instagram Posts

Ofcom Director for Online Safety Fadzai Madzingira is currently under suspension following the emergence of posts criticising Israel on her private Instagram page unearthed by online conservative publication Guido Fawkes.

Madzingira’s account displayed comments following the Hamas’ attack on Israel on 7 October. Screenshots of these posts, shared on the Guido Fawkes website, labelled Israel as an “apartheid state.”

Another screenshot showed Madzingira’s endorsement of a post describing Israel and the UK’s relationship as a “vile colonial alliance”. Her Instagram profile identifies her as a “Zimbabwean, a Black feminist, and a student of decolonisation”, ending with a Palestinian flag emoji.

Screengrab/@blmuk Instagram

Ofcom, the UK’s government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting industry’s impartiality, acknowledged the suspension. In a statement to Guido Fawkes it said: “Having reviewed these comments we’ve suspended this colleague, pending further investigation.” Madzingira joined Ofcom in June from Salesforce, a US-based software company.

In response, Conservative MP Sir William Cash urged Ofcom to uphold impartiality standards, referencing posts supported by one of its directors.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also confirmed that the attorney general would review the matter, categorising such attacks as “terrorist actions”.