Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the processes used by the National Security Online Information Team in determining what online content is a risk to (a) national security and (b) public safety.

The National Security Online Information Team’s (NSOIT) agreed remit is to analyse narratives and trends from publicly available information online relating to national security and public safety, where ministers agree there is a high risk to UK audiences from mis and disinformation. This remit and the work of NSOIT is kept under review by ministers.

NSOIT’s commitment to protecting freedom of expression is embedded in its policies and practices. For example, NSOIT has a blanket ban on referring content from journalists and politicians to social media platforms. Its privacy notices are available on gov.uk.