by Rhoda Wilson, Expose News:
In the last two weeks, the UK government has been making moves to implement digital IDs and tackle “misinformation” and “hate speech” online. The two concepts are not unrelated as demonstrated by two resolutions adopted by a committee of the United Nations last week.
The following are summaries of articles published by Reclaim the Net over the last ten days, from 23 October to 13 November. You can read the full article by following the hyperlink in the section title.
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Table of Contents
Ex-Facebook VP Joins UK Media Regulator Ofcom Sparking Fresh Conflict of Interest Concerns, 6 November 2024
Lord Richard Allan, a former Facebook vice president of public policy, has been appointed as a non-executive director to the Ofcom Board in the UK, sparking concerns about a potential conflict of interest.
Allan was handpicked by Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology (“DSIT”) Peter Kyle, despite having spent a decade as Facebook’s vice president, raising questions about his ability to regulate the company impartially.
DSIT claims that Allan’s appointment followed an “open process in line with the Governance Code on Appointments.” Still, critics argue that his close ties to Facebook and the technology industry could compromise his objectivity.
Allan’s appointment is not an isolated incident, as the “Big Tech-Big Government revolving door” has seen numerous high-profile figures transition between the public and private sectors, including former UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who is now Meta’s president of global affairs.
Allan has a long history of working in the technology and communications sectors, including stints at the UK’s National Health Service (“NHS”), Cisco and the House of Lords, where he has served as a member for the past 10 years.
Ofcom Chair Lord Michael Grade has defended Allan’s appointment, citing his extensive experience “across technology, telecoms, and media” and his ability to contribute to the development of the regulator’s “strategic direction.”
Allan’s affiliation with the UK’s Liberal Democrats, a party previously led by Nick Clegg, has also raised eyebrows, highlighting the close ties between the technology industry and the government.
Tracking Health or Tracking You? The UK’s Expanding Health Surveillance, 23 October 2024
The UK authorities, led by Health Secretary Wes Streeting, are planning to implement a 10-year-plan to transform the NHS, which includes expanding mass surveillance through digital health initiatives.
The proposed changes include developing a digital health ID, referred to as a “single patient record” on the NHS app, which will contain all information about a patient’s health, and encourage people to monitor their own health at home using devices that track health parameters such as blood pressure and glucose.
The plan aims to move more care from hospitals to the community by giving millions of people smart watches and other wearable tech, including recovering cancer patients, to track their own recovery.
Streeting has also suggested giving obese unemployed persons weight loss drugs to help them get back to work, sparking concerns about the potential misuse of the NHS’s infrastructure and reach.
Phillip Inman, The Observer Economics Editor, has expressed support for mass government surveillance, suggesting that the NHS could be a “testbed for a national ID card” and advocating for the use of satellite surveillance to tax zero-emission vehicles.
Inman has also advised Streeting to ensure that everyone has the NHS app on their phone, arguing that if people share their data with the NHS in the same way they do with Big Tech, health service provision could be cheaper and more effective.
The proposals have raised concerns about the potential for highly invasive monitoring methods and the erosion of privacy, with critics arguing that the NHS is being used as a means to achieve other goals, such as mass surveillance and data harvesting.
The Labour government’s plan to transform the NHS has been met with scepticism, with some arguing that the focus should be on building more hospitals, equipping them better, training and employing more staff, rather than relying on digital health initiatives and mass surveillance.
UK Government Makes Major Digital ID Push, 3 November 2024
The UK government has launched the Office for Digital Identities and Attribute (“OfDIA”), a digital ID watchdog within the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology, led by chief executive Hannah Rutter.
The OfDIA aims to encourage the growth of the digital ID market, building on the previous Conservative government’s announcement in 2022 to introduce digital ID in the UK.
According to Hannah Rutter, the digital ID system will provide convenience by eliminating the need for a “patchwork of paperwork” from government and private entities, making people’s lives easier and unlocking billions of pounds of economic growth.
The system will not include a government-issued ID card and can be used voluntarily, with users able to choose from a range of digital identity and attribute providers from the private and charity sectors.
The OfDIA has addressed concerns about centralisation by stating that the system will not have a centralised digital database, at least for now.
The Office is working on creating a trusted and secure digital identity market, focusing on five key areas: developing and maintaining the digital identity framework, maintaining a register of accredited organisations, issuing “trust marks” to companies, and international cooperation to ensure interoperability.
Currently, 49 companies meet one of the three criteria for the “trust marks,” which are issued by the OfDIA to accredited organisations.
The ultimate goal of the OfDIA is to provide a secure and convenient digital ID system that benefits both people and the economy.
UK Government To Test Digital ID on Veterans by 2025, Amid Plans for Wider Use, 13 November 2024
The UK Labour government plans to test digital IDs on 250,000 military veterans by 2025 as part of a “Veteran Card” programme, which aims to prove their veteran status and provide faster access to services and support programs.
The programme includes access to health services through the NHS, housing through the Op Fortitude programme, employment opportunities, cheaper public transportation and other discounts.
Critics argue that the digital ID is an attempt to enforce a system that many people do not want and that the government is using veterans as “guinea pigs” to test the system.
Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is involved in promoting the digital ID idea, citing the need for “immigration controls” as a reason for its implementation, despite his previous policies contributing to global migration issues.
Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh stated that digital IDs are “inevitably coming” not just for immigration purposes, but also for keeping NHS records, benefit entitlements, and other reasons.
The plan is part of a wider effort to introduce digital IDs to the general population, with the government attempting to normalise the idea despite public concerns and opposition.
UK Government Demands Regulator Create Social Media Overhaul to Curb “Misinformation,” Plans New Censorship Committee by 2025, 24 October 2024
The UK government has requested that the regulator Ofcom (Office of Communications) create a social media overhaul to curb “misinformation,” following the Southport riots earlier in the year.
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology Peter Kyle asked Ofcom to assess social platforms’ responses to the riots and their progress in implementing the Online Safety Act.
In response, Ofcom’s Chief Executive Melanie Dawes stated that the regulator wants social networks to change their algorithms to combat “misinformation” and will take tougher action against those that don’t censor information deemed “false” by authorities.
