Social media surveillance ‘chilling’ effect
The ex-Cabinet Office security and intelligence coordinator and former director of the GCHQ electronic eavesdropping agency, said it was essential that monitoring of social media was put on a proper legal footing.
A report by the think-tank Demos, which Sir David co-authored, said existing laws regulating the interception of communications by police and intelligence agencies needed to be overhauled to meet the complexities of social media.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdWhile intelligence gathered from social media – which it dubbed “Socmint” – could be a vital source of information in identifying criminal activity or providing early warning of disorder, it said the public needed to be confident it was not being abused.