UK: Priti Patel considering removing right to anonymity on social media to stop ‘relentless’ abuse of MPs

Social media users could face a ban on anonymous accounts, as home secretary Priti Patel steps up action to tackle radicalisation in the wake of the murder of MP Sir David Amess.

Police questioning Ali Harbi Ali on suspicion of terrorism offences are understood to be investigating the possibility that the 25-year-old UK national of Somali background was radicalised by material found on the internet and social media networks during lockdown.

Ali had in the past come into contact with the government’s Prevent deradicalisation programme, but was not considered a significant enough risk to come to the notice of security services.

Investigations are believed so far to have found no evidence of extensive contact with terror groups abroad. His father Harbi Ali Kullane was a former media spokesman for the prime minister of Somalia and had been involved in campaigns against the extremist al-Shabaab group in the east African country.

Diane Abbott, who receives more online abuse than any other MP, gave her backing to legislation forcing tech giants to reveal the identity of those who peddle hate on their platforms.

She told The Independent that police investigations into racial abuse and threats against her had repeatedly foundered because of social media companies’ insistence on protecting anonymity. And she said: “Persons inciting violence and racial hatred online should know that they will no longer have this cover.”

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/priti-patel-david-amess-social-media-b1939775.html

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Spooky? Theatre fears word has racist past

The National Theatre of Scotland has stopped using the word “spooky” to describe shows after it was flagged up as a racial slur.

The state-funded arts company has previously used the word to promote a production of A Christmas Carol in 2016.

The term has been dropped as part of its commitment to tackling discrimination and prejudicial language.

The Dutch word “spook” translates as ghost and has been used in English since the 19th century as well as being used as a synonym for a spy.

However, during the Second World War US military officers used it as a derogatory term to describe black pilots.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/spooky-theatre-fears-word-has-racist-past-lbkjttg6r

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