[Infowarrior] - UK gov Prevent strategy will block web sites

[Richard Forno]

UK government Prevent strategy will block web sites

Extremist tackling measures are extreme
By Dave Neal
Thu Jun 09 2011, 17:32                 

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2077928/uk-government-prevent-strategy-block-web-sites/page/2

THE UK GOVERNMENT is promoting plans to curb civil liberties under the banner of its 'Prevent' strategy for countering terrorism.

In a just published document introduced by Theresa May and given the Orwellianly simple title of 'Prevent', the Home Office revealed its refocusing and plans.

"The Prevent strategy has been refocused following a review. The strategy now contains three objectives: to respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat from those who promote it; to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure that they are given appropriate advice and support; and to work with sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalisation that we need to address," reads the notes on the official Home Office pages.

The document is full of those kind of innocuous sounding government plans that suddenly become brutal suppression, turning from mild sounding suggestions into a 'hands behind your back and face the wall' method of encouragement.

This is the modern age though and its not only reinforced doors that need kicking in, but virtual ones too, thus the Prevent plans have a beady eye on terrorist technology, like web sites.

This will not come without challenges though, such as how can you stop people from expressing their opinions when you are supposed to be allowing free speech?

Well, by giving yourself the right to in law. "All terrorist groups have an ideology. Promoting that ideology, frequently on the internet, facilitates radicalisation and recruitment," says the report.

"Challenging ideology and disrupting the ability of terrorists to promote it is a fundamental part of Prevent. [We] regard the internet as vital to Prevent work, not just because we need to more effectively disrupt terrorist use of the internet, but because of the range of opportunities it provides to challenge terrorist ideology." This strikes us as how an overbearing police state justifies repression.
The document continues, adding that as it seeks to block the distribution of hard copy terrorist material, so will it block in online.

"Communications technology has transformed the capability of terrorist groups. The internet in particular has not only facilitated attack planning but also the distribution of terrorist propaganda and the process of radicalisation and recruitment," it adds.

"Ideological challenge has to use all the communications tools which have been adopted by terrorists and where necessary also intervene in the virtual space to curtail illegal activities."

Plans will not be easy to see out, so presumably they must be worth it. These plans include, "steps to: limit access to harmful content online in specific sectors or premises (notably schools, public libraries and other public buildings); [and] ensure that action is taken to try to remove unlawful and harmful content from the internet," according to the report.

"This work will require effective dialogue with the private sector and in particular the internet industry. It will also require collaboration with international partners: the great majority of the websites and chat rooms which concern us in the context of radicalisation are hosted overseas.

The jackboot must be one of the most comfortable members of the political costume, as it seems that once worn it proves hard to get off and a pleasantly reassuring fit.

Any internet filtering is therefore encouraged, and as well as schools and libraries the ‘public internet estate' should also have a dose.

"Internet filtering across the public estate is essential. We want to ensure that users in schools, libraries, colleges and Immigration Removal Centres are unable to access unlawful material. We will continue to work closely with [the] filtering industry," the report adds.

"We want to explore the potential for violent and unlawful URL lists to be voluntarily incorporated into independent national blocking lists, including the list operated by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)."

This sort of thing does not go down well with the internet estate, and in a tweet the UK Pirate Party condemned the move.

"The UK government says: 'Internet filtering across the public estate is essential',", reads a tweet from the party before offering a link to the report. This was followed with, "UK government plans to expand the web blocking remit of the IWF as part of #Prevent strategy".

Loz Kaye, leader of the Party in the UK added his own thoughts to the mix in a short conversation with the INQUIRER. He said that the Party was concerned about the report, in fact very concerned, and added, "With its public Internet filtering the Coalition's Prevent strategy undermines the freedoms it purports to protect." µ