Big Brother, UK Style

A secretive government agency that spied on anti-lockdown activists during COVID is censoring free speech in the wake of violence in British cities

The Orwellian-named National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT) —formerly the Counter Disinformation Unit — has been tasked by the UK’s new Labour government to monitor social media following recent street violence in a number of British cities. The agency was created in 2019 under a Tory government to flag any foreign interference in the European elections. The following year it was redirected to spy on anti-lockdown activists during COVID and to look for sources of “false coronavirus information online.”

Few were surprised when it was later revealed that the unit went after anyone who disagreed with government COVID policy, including epidemiologists who argued against total lockdowns and campaigners who argued that schools should be open during the pandemic. The Counter Disinformation Unit employed an artificial intelligence firm to scan social media sites. It flagged many thousands of discussions that were lawful and accurate speech of scientists, journalists, politicians, a…