Reading between the lines it looks like the government want to, if elected, have strong control over what we can and can’t use the internet for. This is all couched in terms such as increased safety online and reducing opportunities for the promotion of hate. They have specifically mentioned social media but the proposed laws would also apply to other sites including forums.
If I were a cynical man I might believe that this is an act of desperation from a dishonest group hoping to hold onto power by any means, including controlling our access to news and suppressing discussion and free thought. One might even describe this as the actions of a would be dictatorship in much the same way as internet access is limited in China and other parts of the world.
A lot depends on how this is handled though: there are excesses on the internet which need to be curbed, though I am pretty sure most of these are covered by existing laws. I severely question who should be in a position to have such controls and do not believe it should be part of the governments roll.
The use of such powers could, if unfettered, effectively make it an offence to criticise the government. Even pointing out that a particular politician mad a statement that is demonstrably false could become a breach of the official secrets act.
What do you think here? Am I over reacting to this or are we blindly headed towards a totalitarian society where I will have to learn newspeak?
I think you are over reacting. I look forward to a future were all my information comes directly from approved sources such as the Daily Mail, Daily Express …Sky…Mr Murdoch social media .com
Well if they audit all the fake news, that’d great!
Not knowing anything about UK politics, I would say your heading for a totalitarian society. I’m taking the cynical side here.
I understand that there are valid concerns about online safety, bullying, hate speech and what not. The thing is these are not new issues, people can always go it the old fashioned way and send hate through the postal system, but is mail censored?
I don’t think the communication, whether postal or through the internet, should be treated differently by law.
Maybe more education on how to deal with online bullying, and ‘don’t feed the troll’ lessons I don’t really have a good answer here.
Well they already have huge powers over the internet thanks to the Investigatory Powers Act, The Digital Economy Act, and older regulation. IPA (aka Snoopers Charter) allows collection of Internet Connection Records, an ill defined term that can mean just about anything, Equipment Interference, which means hack any computer they like, and under the DEB block any website if they can classify it as connected to copyright infringement.
Now we have the rhetoric on no safe places for terrorists to communicate, which means no safe place for anyone to communicate.
Trust me it can get worse but I take the point and this is an area where I have always been concerned.
I think we have a duty to try and educate others about the importance of privacy and security so that this becomes an issue. George Orwell’s book 1984 is not too far from the truth but a warning of what can happen if we drop our guard on this,
For me, it’s absolutely terrifying. Looking at the list of things they’ve made illegal over the last few years because Conservative members find them “unconventional”. Things which will be censored even though they’re not illegal.
With the gross amount of lies the Conservative party have fed people during this campaign (no doubt most parties are as well, but they’re not wanting to restrict the internet), it’s really worrying to think how the next general election would be run if they get these powers through (which they will). It took May years to get the IP bill through but, as soon as she became PM, she got control of the party whips and got it through in no time at all.
The plans are part of the Conservatives commitment to regulate the internet if it wins this week’s election. Those wide-ranging plans – which include a suggestion the government will decide what kind of news is posted online
Hi @joe I am very worried about the world we might be waking up to on Friday morning.
This government has systematically attacked human rights and is looking to control what we can publish or have access to on the internet (and elsewhere). Another Tory government will be a disaster for the UK and possibly a large part of the rest of the world.
The recent terrorist attacks in London and Manchester prove she is out of touch with decent people. The response of the British people was a wave of love with everybody doing what they could to help and show that the more you try to divide us the more we stand together. Contrasting this with the actions of primeminister May who is effectively going to push those with extreme views underground making them harder to trace so we can confront their views and educate them. At the same time this gogovernment has cut police numbers reducing our ability to capture terrorists.
If there is anything you can do to help keep the Tories our please do. If you live in the UK vote for whoever will keep them out of your seat. Talk to people and encourage them to do the same. I am not working tomorrow I will be driving people to vote and taking them home again. Even if you are not eligible to vote or even in the UK help in anyway you can.
on the one hard you have to be careful not to get too carried away else you’ll end up in the tin foil hat brigade, freaking out and making a massive deal over everything.
on the other hand though there are lots examples around the world where governments are making some terrible choices over internet regulation, driven not by a desire to serve those they govern but to protect themselves from and control those they dominate.
i’m not too concerned as I genuinely believe the sheer volume of activity now on the internet makes it increasingly implausible to systematically monitor everybody. Even the excessive amount of manpower used to monitor the activity behind the great firewall will ultimately fail in the end.
Privacy is important but i don’t think the UK establishment has will, resources or inclination to realise an Orwellian nightmare. We still need to be vigilant though as most everyday folk don’t understand or care about this kind of stuff and raising awareness with them is likely to be next to impossible.
Please respect our code of conduct which is simple: don't be a dick.
