In an attempt to take control of the narrative, the Orwellian policies being enforced in the UK could affect anyone in the world. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has threatened to extradite citizens from other countries to be jailed in the UK if the UK regime feels their posts online violate the two-tier regime’s online speech laws, even though those Rowley is threatening don’t violate their own country’s free speech laws. A threat which has particularly aggravated Americans who enjoy a higher degree of freedom of expression than UK residents.
The following is the article ‘Free Speech is Under Siege in Starmer’s UK’ published by Reclaim the Net.
The UK is currently experiencing a massive attack on free speech, spearheaded by new Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is encouraging police to use the full force of controversial British laws to crack down on social media posts.
The push for more online censorship has spanned many years, [but with a] different government in the UK [it has] gained new momentum with the recent protests and riots.
Emboldened by the crisis, officials seem to be using it to step up the already existing, multi-year effort to get social media companies to “cooperate” with the authorities.
It has now emerged that the government in London has started flagging content it deems to be “misinformation” – but also something referred to as “concerning content.”
X [formerly Twitter] is among those who have been asked to remove posts which British officials consider to threaten the country’s national security; and while reports say Google, Meta, and TikTok are complying with these demands, X is said to be resisting them.
The accusations that social sites are “providing a platform for hate” while allegedly unaccountable for that [which] is coming from cabinet members and MPs alike.
Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle has revealed that he and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper are working to get content they consider “harmful” removed from the internet.
Recent actions in the UK regarding the apprehension of people for disseminating “incorrect information” highlight a concerning trend that threatens the very core of free speech – a foundational pillar of Western democracies.
These developments suggest an alarming escalation in government and law enforcement involvement in regulating online speech, which traditionally enjoys broad protections under democratic norms.
The use of existing laws, such as the Public Order Act 1986, to arrest people for their online speech is deeply troubling to civil liberties groups.
While maintaining public order is a legitimate concern of the state, the broad application of these laws and combining accusations of “stirring racial hatred” with instances of alleged “misinformation” is supercharging an attack on free speech.
The introduction of the UK’s most recent censorship law, the ‘Online Safety Act’ further complicates this, with supporters of censorship like Kyle, suggesting that the already controversial act doesn’t go far enough.
As far as Kyle is concerned, he is looking for ways for the government to be able to control online speech to an even greater extent.
The primary catalyst appears to be the recent riots and social unrest following tragic incidents, like the knife attack in Southport.
The UK’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a forthcoming review of the Online Safety Act. During his visit to a police station on Friday, just before two people were imprisoned for using social media to incite attacks on asylum seeker accommodations, Starmer emphasised that social media must not be a “law-free zone.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who criticised the legislation as inadequate and in urgent need of revision, also suggested it doesn’t go far enough and more censorship power is needed.
“I do agree that we’re going to have to look more broadly at social media after this disorder,” Starmer said. “But the focus at the moment has to be on dealing with the disorder and making sure that our communities are safe and secure.”
Starmer further commented on what he believes should be the responsibilities of social media executives, telling them to prioritise community safety. He affirmed, “The first thing I’d say is, this is not a law-free zone. And I think that’s clear from the prosecutions and sentencing. Today we’re due sentencing for online behaviour.”
And, the government has brought in the National Security Online Information Team (“NSOIT”) to monitor online activity “discussing the deaths of the three children killed in Southport and the rioting,” as Kyle put it.
NSOIT, previously known as the Counter Disinformation Unit, is infamous for its censorship “handiwork” during the covid pandemic when it flagged accurate posts from politicians and journalists simply for being critical of the government’s policy.
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