A landmark overhaul of security laws to crack down on spies, saboteurs and hackers working for states such as Russia and North Korea was heralded in the Queen’s Speech today.
New laws could make it illegal for the first time to be secretly working for a foreign power to undermine Britain by carrying out political disruption or spreading disinformation.
It means agents of foreign states who abuse social media to alarm the public or disrupt fair elections could be prosecuted and jailed.
Ministers will consider a formal “register of foreign agents”, modelled on US laws, with failure to register a criminal offence.
As a long-time social media abuser and public alarmer I find this of concern.
