Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Deferred
Insufficient national support for policing social media intelligence monitoring, especially on closed platforms.
Conclusion
Individual police forces did their best to monitor social media ahead of and during the disorder as a source of intelligence. It is important that forces retain local capacity to monitor social media on a business-as-usual basis. However, it is clear that the volume of social media activity, including some originating abroad, as well as the amount of activity taking place on closed platforms such as Telegram, means that in many cases more national support is required. Some of this support was available during the summer disorder but it did not go far enough. It was welcome to hear the Policing Minister suggest that new national functions for social media are being considered, and that the role of technology is being considered to increase cost-effectiveness. (Conclusion, Paragraph 31)
Government response summary AI-generated
The government response outlines plans for workforce reforms and officer retention as part of the forthcoming Police Reform White Paper, citing low resignation rates and initiatives like the NPCC National Leavers Framework. It does not address the recommendation for enhanced national and local capacity for social media monitoring in policing.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government · verbatim extract
Deferred
The Home Office and its Agencies has and continues to use open-source material to good effect to support a range of missions. This has included support to tackle illegal migration operations and associated organised crime along with support to crisis management response. We have considered plans to strengthen this capability to protect the public and this includes consideration of a range of options including a more centralised approach. We have worked both internally with partners and the tech sector on specific proposals which will require financial investment. Decisions have not been taken on the form that stronger open source capability may take and proposals will continue to be considered. All options are being considered to ensure that government has the appropriate information to fulfil our public duties, and we will always consider maximising effectiveness and efficiency by bringing capabilities and people together.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗