UK announces new centre to tackle Russian disinformation

Summarised from 6 outlets · 10 reports · Updated 24 Sept, 23:20 · Archive

Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a National Centre for Information Defence to counter foreign disinformation and deepfakes.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced the creation of a National Centre for Information Defence at the United Nations General Assembly, aimed at detecting, attributing and disrupting information attacks and deepfakes from hostile states such as Russia. The centre will bring together intelligence agencies, law enforcement and social media companies. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting assured that the unit will not be weaponised against British citizens' free speech. While the move has received cross-party backing, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage attacked the plans as an attack on free speech, claiming they target his party. Labour MP Graham Stringer described the plans as 'sketchy' and 'very worrying indeed'.

How it is being reported

• PM sets up new 'Ministry of Truth,' sparking free speech row, as he blames Putin for exploiting Brexit to sow division in BritainFears were mounting that Labour would use a new disinformation unit, dubbed a 'Ministry of Truth' by critics, to 'silence dissent' amongst Britons criticising the Government.Daily Mail · 23 Sept, 22:55
• The Guardian view on Russian disinformation: a foreign threat that relies on UK complicity | EditorialAndy Burnham’s accusation against the Kremlin tells half the story. Domestic extremists amplified by US big tech are part of the same problem In November 2020, Barack Obama warned of an “ epistemological crisis ” facing western democracies. Polarisation and radicalisation were corroding trust in established information sources. “If we do not have the capacity to distinguish what’s true from what’s false, then by definition the marketplace of ideas doesn’t work,” the former US president said. That vulnerability has grown since then. Democracy’s enemies have become more determined to exploit…The Guardian · 23 Sept, 18:30
• Is Burnham right to blame Russia for spreading online disinformation?BBC Verify examines Russian-linked operations spreading false information about the UK, Ukraine and other nations.BBC News · 23 Sept, 17:35
• Nigel Farage Has Attacked The Government's Plans For A New Russia Misinformation UnitReform UK leader Nigel Farage. Nigel Farage has become the only senior political figure to condemn the government’s plans to set up a new unit to tackle Russian misinformation . The Reform UK leader claimed it was “targeted directly” at his party and would stifle free speech. Prime minister Andy Burnham announced the move in his first speech to the UN General Assembly. The National Centre for Information Defence will tackle online lies and deepfakes damaging British interests, the PM said. Burnham said the rise of artificial intelligence means the problem is only set to get worse unless it…HuffPost UK · 23 Sept, 16:20
• PM’s new anti-disinformation unit gets cross-party backing, as Farage declares it an attack on free speech – UK politics liveFarage referred to the new unit and said Burnham was setting it up ‘using the excuse that Russia wants to interfere with elections’ The former Labour minister leading the government’s review into youth unemployment has written to 100 firms to ask them to provide work placements and jobs for young people, the Press Association reports. PA says: Alan Milburn , who was commissioned by former prime minister Keir Starmer to lead the government’s review into worklessness, has approached “business leaders” in sectors including rail, transport and utilities to ask them to provide more chances for…The Guardian · 23 Sept, 13:59
• Labour MP breaks rank to blast Andy Burnham's 'sketchy' plan to set up anti-misinformation unitVeteran Labour MP Graham Stringer has torn into Andy Burnham's "sketchy" plans for a new information unit to target "disinformation" about the UK. Speaking to GB News, the Labour MP argued that the potential implication on Britons is "very worrying indeed". The Labour Government has denied that the new unit, set up to fight disinformation, will be a threat to free speech in this country. Mr Burnham announced plans for the National Centre for Information Defence at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say He said: "Russian agencies have used every means at their…GB News · 23 Sept, 13:48
• Labour insists Britons won't be targeted for free speech despite 'Orwellian' fears over new 'information unit'Wes Streeting has assured that the Prime Minister's new "information centre" will not be "weaponised" to target the free speech of Britons. Speaking to GB News, the Defence Secretary made clear that he has a "responsibility to defend the freedom and democracy" of this country. Speaking at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced plans for a new "National Centre for Information Defence" to fight "disinformation" about the UK. Taking aim at "Russian agencies", the Prime Minister declared that the UK has "tiptoed around this for too long". TRENDING Stories…GB News · 23 Sept, 07:52
• New UK agency to tackle Russia’s online lies and deepfakes, Burnham tells UNThe National Centre for Information Defence was announced at the United Nations General Assembly in New YorkThe Independent · 23 Sept, 07:47
• New UK agency will tackle ‘information warfare’ from likes of Russia, Burnham saysPM aims to ‘stem poisonous tide’ of disinformation and deepfakes with National Centre for Information Defence Security chiefs will set up a new national centre to tackle disinformation and deepfakes from hostile states such as Russia, Andy Burnham has announced, saying the government had a duty to “stem the poisonous tide” from damaging British interests. The National Centre for Information Defence will “detect, attribute and disrupt” information attacks by foreign powers, many of which are enabled by AI , bringing together the intelligence agencies, law enforcement and social media…The Guardian · 23 Sept, 06:00
• Free speech fears as PM launches 'National Centre for Information Defence' to wage war on 'untrue narratives'Andy Burnham has announced plans for a new "National Centre for Information Defence" to fight so-called "disinformation" about the UK. The Prime Minister, addressing the United Nations, announced the centre to improve "community cohesion" and prevent a "distorted and untrue narrative about Britain". He has ordered security chiefs to set up the quango, which will detect, attribute and disrupt "hostile information attacks" and "deepfakes" which hurt British interests. It is initially being led out of the Office for the Prime Minister and Cabinet, with the new centre working alongside…GB News · 23 Sept, 02:27

In this story: Andy Burnham · Wes Streeting · Nigel Farage · Graham Stringer · Russia · United Kingdom · National Centre for Information Defence

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