UK Minister Calls For Jailing Social Media Bosses Who Do Not Censor Speech
In a despotic hostile move to derail civilian use of social media in Britian, the UK Technology and Science Secretary Michelle Donelan has announced plans to jail social media executives if they fail to censor so-called “harmful” content on their websites.
As previously discussed, after Musk decided to buy Twitter, Hillary Clinton called upon European countries to force social media companies to censor Americans.
The European Union vassal states quickly responded by threatening Musk and other executives: https://jonathanturley.org/2022/11/02/eu-moves-against-twitter-to-block-free-speech-protections-after-calls-from-clinton-and-other-democratic-leaders/
The US government, of course, will determine what is deemed too harmful for citizens to see or hear.
Donelan is seeking speech arrests under the UK’s Online Safety Bill, a draconian censorship bill that would effectively ban end-to-end encryption for private internet users.
This would effectively cause many people to simply stop using and trusting online services in the UK.
The bill uses Britain’s broadcasting regulator Ofcom to censor “all forms of expression which spread, incite, promote or justify hatred” based on various progressive characteristics, including transgenderism.
So the government can censor anyone who it views as promoting or justifying hatred against virtually any group. Those who do not censor can now be rounded up by Donelan and her despotic jackboot minions.
The decline of free speech in the United Kingdom has long been a concern for free speech advocates.
A man was convicted for sending a tweet while drunk referring to dead soldiers: https://jonathanturley.org/2022/04/03/british-man-convicted-after-sending-drunk-tweet-about-dead-soldiers/
Another was arrested for an anti-police t-shirt: https://jonathanturley.org/2012/10/16/is-free-speech-thew-in-england-manchester-jailed-for-tee-shirt-with-anti-police-writings/
Another was arrested for calling the Irish boyfriend of his ex-girlfriend a “leprechaun”: https://jonathanturley.org/2020/06/21/scottish-man-convicted-of-calling-ex-girlfriends-boyfriend-a-leprechaun/
Yet another was arrested for singing “Kung Fu Fighting”: https://jonathanturley.org/2011/04/27/something-serious-wrong-in-wight-singer-arrested-for-singing-kung-fu-fighting/
A teenager was arrested for protesting outside of a Scientology center with a sign calling the religion a “cult”: https://jonathanturley.org/2009/03/10/thou-shalt-not-blaspheme-scientology-england-criminalizes-criticism-of-the-church-of-scientology/
Recently we discussed the arrest of a woman who was praying to herself near an abortion clinic: https://jonathanturley.org/2022/12/24/without-a-hope-or-a-prayer-why-the-arrest-of-a-british-woman-outside-of-an-abortion-clinic-is-a-wake-up-call-for-free-speech/
English courts have seen criminalized “toxic ideologies” as part of this crackdown on free speech: https://jonathanturley.org/2021/05/26/toxic-ideology-english-neo-nazi-given-four-years-for-his-extremist-views/
These officials proudly parade their intent to silence or jail those with dissenting views. Yet, they do so in the name of "tolerance".
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/tower-twitter-uk-minister-calls-jailing-social-media-bosses-who-do-not-censor-speech
