Speaking to the public following the attacks in London last night - the third such terorist incident since March - UK Prime Minister Theresa May proposed Sunday that the UK work with democratic allies to root out extremist groups from the internet and social media.
Here’s May:
“We cannot allow this ideology the safe space it needs to breed, yet that is precisely what the internet, and the big companies that provide internet-based services provide.”
“We need to work with allies, democratic governments to reach international agreements to regulate cyberspace to prevent the spread of extremist and terrorism planning,” May said. “And we need to do everything we can at home to reduce the risks of extremism online.”
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Western tech firm, May believes, should do more to censor and police extremist content. But who would be qualified to determine what is and isn't fit for publication? It seems there's a danger that unpopular views and political opinions that don't fit with the mainstream narrative could also be swept up in this type of censorship...and to a degree they already have. For example, Twitter suspended WND for its reporting on the suspicious death of former DNC staffer Seth Rich.
“We need to work with...democratic governments to reach international agreements to regulate cyberspace..." - Theresa May pic.twitter.com/cikJM3ecg6
— Don Draper (@DonDraperClone) June 4, 2017
As the Verge reported, this isn’t the first time that May has made calls to regulate internet behavior. In 2012, then-Home Secretary May drafted a bill that would force internet service providers to retain user data for up to a year. That bill was blocked, but she worked to introduce similar legislation in subsequent years.
Last month, May’s Conservative Party included its intent to enact internet regulations that are designed to combat online extremism and to protect the public from abusive and offensive materials.
The Prime Minister also said Britain was too tolerant of extremism and that "pluralistic" British values had to be established as superior.