University criticised for using private investigators to gather information on students

Earlier this week, it was revealed that Horus Security Consultancy Ltd had provided the university with information about a student group called Solidarity Slate, which ran in the election held in March.

In a report, the company listed the names of six students involved in the left-wing group and set out some of the policies and “demands” in their manifesto.

However, when students obtained copies of the report by submitting subject access requests, most of the information was redacted.

The university said Horus Security Consultancy Ltd scanned publicly available information about a range of issues and then provided summaries, but the company was not hired to investigate individual students.

Charlie Thomas, one of the students mentioned in the report, said it feels like he is “being surveilled”.

“I'd like them to stop,” he said. “They shouldn't be doing this sort of stuff.

“I think they're doing this because they're worried about students supporting the UCU (University and College Union) industrial action.”

The report said Solidarity Slate is calling for a “rent strike” to "fight for lower, affordable rents", the cancellation of tuition fees and £2,000 cash payments to all students.

The group also called for the university to “cut ties with the defence sector” and “create an LGBT+ transition fund” to help transgender students cover medical costs.

A university spokeswoman said: “Like many other universities, we use external services to ‘horizon scan’ and share briefings on external issues that may affect the higher education sector.

“These briefings cover issues around cyber security, national and international terrorism and major UK events. They also look at issues that may affect Sheffield specifically, such as upcoming protests.

“The company that compiles the briefings collates publicly available information from news sites, websites and social media platforms. They are not briefed to investigate individual students or actively monitor student social media accounts.”

Earlier this year, the university was criticised for hiring a private investigator from Intersol Global to find out whether two students were involved in a protest in one of its building.

It came after a group of students occupied the building in October, protesting against Sheffield’s alleged links to the arms industry.