The UK government refuses to confirm or deny involvement with social media companies to avoid revealing capabilities to hostile actors.
Recently released minutes from the UK government’s Counter Disinformation Unit (CDU) governing board, the Disinformation Board, provide evidence of authorities’ direct involvement in monitoring online speech during the pandemic and flagging it for removal.
Despite several years of criticism and scrutiny from media and privacy groups, the CDU was rebranded in 2023 as the National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT).
One move considered by top UK officials was to “embed” civil servants in companies running social platforms. It remains unclear if this was implemented, writes Big Brother Watch’s Jake Hurfurt for Public.
The CDU was just one part of the UK’s Covid-era censorship efforts, which also involved several military units, most notably the 77th Brigade. This unit is generally tasked with spreading misinformation and conducting “psyops” abroad, not at home.
NSOIT (formerly CDU) claims it is focused on “countering disinformation and hostile state narratives.” However, various outfits and private contractors hired by the government were also tasked with surveilling British citizens and suppressing those labeled as “Covid measures dissenters.”
Freedom of information requests have revealed that the UK government targeted not foreign disinformation agents but ordinary British citizens, medical professionals, journalists, and politicians who were critically engaged in legitimate speech.
The extent of the UK government’s actions, specifically whether officials were embedded in social media companies, remains unclear due to the government’s refusal to provide access to reports compiled by Logically, a private company.
Logically, which made millions from contracts with the British military, is headed by US ex-intelligence officer Brian Murphy, who previously worked at the Department for Homeland Security (DHS).
The UK government justifies its refusal to shed light on whether officials were directly involved with social media companies, citing concerns that such disclosures “would reveal its capabilities to hostile actors.”
