Documents obtained by Big Brother Watch (BBW) reveal that the UK government's National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT) has awarded a Faculty AI £2.3 million contract to create an artificial intelligence (AI) system to monitor social media for "concerning" posts. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) claims that the Counter Disinformation Data Platform (CDDP) is intended to focus on posts posing a threat to national security and public safety, with current beta testing focused on foreign interference during elections.
However, heavily redacted documents obtained through Freedom of Information requests reveal that the government retains the right to use the platform for broader purposes.
In a statement, Head of Research and Investigations at BBW, Jake Hurfurt, said: Whitehall must be transparent about how its 'Counter Disinformation Unit' plans to use AI to monitor social media, when millions of pounds of public money have been poured into its operation."
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