Britain: New Internet Planned, New Regulations

www.independent.co.uk...

Andrew Griffin
@_andrew_griffin
4 hours ago

Click to follow
The Independent Tech

Theresa May is planning to introduce huge regulations on the way the internet works, allowing the government to decide what is said online.

Particular focus has been drawn to the end of the manifesto, which makes clear that the Tories want to introduce huge changes to the way the internet works.

"Some people say that it is not for government to regulate when it comes to technology and the internet," it states. "We disagree."

Senior Tories confirmed to BuzzFeed News that the phrasing indicates that the government intends to introduce huge restrictions on what people can post, share and publish online.

The plans will allow Britain to become "the global leader in the regulation of the use of personal data and the internet", the manifesto claims.

It comes just soon after the Investigatory Powers Act came into law. That legislation allowed the government to force internet companies to keep records on their customers' browsing histories, as well as giving ministers the power to break apps like WhatsApp so that messages can be read.

The manifesto makes reference to those increased powers, saying that the government will work even harder to ensure there is no "safe space for terrorists to be able to communicate online". That is apparently a reference in part to its work to encourage technology companies to build backdoors into their encrypted messaging services – which gives the government the ability to read terrorists' messages, but also weakens the security of everyone else's messages, technology companies have warned.

The government now appears to be launching a similarly radical change in the way that social networks and internet companies work. While much of the internet is currently controlled by private businesses like Google and Facebook, Theresa May intends to allow government to decide what is and isn't published, the manifesto suggests.

The new rules would include laws that make it harder than ever to access pornographic and other websites. The government will be able to place restrictions on seeing adult content and any exceptions would have to be justified to ministers, the manifesto suggests.

The manifesto even suggests that the government might stop search engines like Google from directing people to pornographic websites. "We will put a responsibility on industry not to direct users – even unintentionally – to hate speech, pornography, or other sources of harm," the Conservatives write.

I don't got much opinion on this but it wouldn't be a mystery why this new internet is being planned with things like Facebook killings, YouTube violence and really extreme snuff videos on the "darknet" in America, I'm sure that Britain has similar issues on their own internet.

a reply to: Profundity

Seems like any platform will be greeted with the same "extreme" subject matter.

Or it will be so restricted that it won't be worth a duck fart.

a reply to: seasonal

Or it will be so restricted that it won't be worth a duck fart.

I agree there should be a balance. Britain isn't known for being overly restrictive. I think they'll find a healthy balance and lead the way for the rest of Europe.

a reply to: Profundity

If you don't want to read something online then don't go online.

Free speech on the internet should not be restricted. This is a terrible idea.

a reply to: Profundity

If it can be abused by either the govt or the public it will be.


The only difference is if the public abuses it I don't have to look at it, if the govt abuses it I can't look at it.

a reply to: Metallicus

If you don't want to read something online then don't go online.

Free speech on the internet should not be restricted. This is a terrible idea.

I agree. Free speech all the way. Video recordings aren't speech though.

a reply to: Profundity

Video is freedom of expression.

a reply to: Profundity

I don't got much opinion on this but it wouldn't be a mystery why this new internet is being planned with things like Facebook killings, YouTube violence and really extreme snuff videos on the "darknet" in America, I'm sure that Britain has similar issues on their own internet.

Umm yeah, that must be the reason........

a reply to: seasonal

Video is freedom of expression.

True. Expression is considered a form of communication. Shooting a rifle isn't considered communication.

a reply to: Profundity

A video of shooting a rifle is a in fact communicating. And it is a protected right.

a reply to: seasonal

I'm not much into semantics and this really doesn't got much to do with the topic. We need to wait and see what these new internet regulations are before we jump to conclusions.

a reply to: Profundity

I think they'll find a healthy balance and lead the way for the rest of Europe.

For a country that wages war around the world to further its own economic interest and has been just as guilty as the States in unlawful regime change I doubt that.

a reply to: Metallicus

Of course its a terrible idea. Its all about controlling the narrative and the flimsiest excuse like "porn" used to shut peoples freedom of enquiry down.

a reply to: Profundity

Good way to backtrack when you're reminded that video recordings are a form of free speech, when you make knee jerk comments like this

Shooting a rifle isn't considered communication.

a reply to: TheConstruKctionofLight

Me too. I have no trust for the Tories.
Where lying is concerned they are persistent offenders.
They will abuse this undoubtedly.
Its all about dissent I reckon.
Terrorism is the go-to excuse as usual and, you know, its all for our own good. Rot.

This isn't good at all. They'll be labelling all sorts of things as extremist. Maybe even ATS.

They hate the thought of people sharing information, especially the truth.

originally posted by: Metallicus
a reply to: Profundity

If you don't want to read something online then don't go online.

Free speech on the internet should not be restricted. This is a terrible idea.

I sense Alot of people will be dressing up as Citizen V if this happens.

They hate the thought of people sharing information, especially the truth. a reply to: Tulpa preview

a reply to: Tulpa

They hate people sharing un-filtered and unpasteurized info. And their truth is the only thing they want shared, what other explanation can there be?

"other sources of harm". Yeah looks like she is a byproduct of harm.

a reply to: seasonal

They just want to cover their own misdeeds.
Expenses scandals?
Attacking the sick and disabled?
Destroying the NHS?
Gutting Police budgets?
Whenever they say its about terrorists its usually about normal, everyday folk. Its hard work trying to combat terrorism. Much easier to blind the population.

Sounds like a politician trying to be "tough on crime" just before an election. We've had problems with terrorism for the past 40 years, and had home access to the internet for the past 25 years, along with online videos for the past 16 years. Only now do they decide to "get tough" on adult pornography, terrorism, encryption and communications.

With encryption, in the past the government wanted "key escrow" systems where they would keep a copy of the encrpytion/decryption password in a safe place. But there was a great deal of opposition. In reality now, wi-fi routers come with a pre-supplied default encryption password.

Most of the time that local councils have ever used power to intercept emails and other communications was to know what protesters against fracking and land developments by property developers.

This bit worries me:

"Senior Tories confirmed to BuzzFeed News that the phrasing indicates that the government intends to introduce huge restrictions on what people can post, share and publish online."

"The Conservatives will also seek to regulate the kind of news that is posted online and how companies are paid for it. "