The U.K. Government’s Contract Worth £600,000 for Monitoring Social Media to Combat „Misinformation Narratives

Introduction

The UK government has awarded a £600,000 contract to a company called Faculty to monitor social media for „misinformation narratives“ related to Covid-19. The company, which has previously worked with the government on data analysis, will use artificial intelligence to identify and track online conversations about the pandemic.

The Contract

The contract was awarded by the Cabinet Office’s Rapid Response Unit, which was set up last year to combat the spread of misinformation during the pandemic. The unit has been tasked with monitoring social media for false or misleading information about Covid-19 and responding to it in real-time.

Faculty will use its AI-powered platform, called „Ocelot“, to monitor social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for posts related to Covid-19. The platform uses natural language processing and machine learning algorithms to identify patterns in online conversations and detect potential misinformation.

The company will also provide the government with regular reports on the trends and themes emerging from social media conversations about Covid-19. The reports will be used to inform the government’s response to the pandemic and to help counter any false or misleading information that may be circulating online.

Privacy Concerns

The contract has raised concerns among privacy advocates, who argue that the government’s use of AI to monitor social media could infringe on people’s rights to free speech and privacy. They also worry that the government could use the data collected to target individuals or groups who express dissenting views about the pandemic or government policies.

The government has sought to reassure the public that the monitoring will be conducted in a lawful and proportionate manner and that the data collected will be anonymized and used only for the purpose of combating misinformation. However, some experts have questioned whether the government has the legal authority to monitor social media in this way without a warrant.

The contract with Faculty is just one example of the growing use of AI and data analytics by governments around the world to monitor and control online conversations. As these technologies become more sophisticated, it is likely that they will be used to monitor a wider range of online activities, raising further questions about privacy and civil liberties

Original article Teaser

U.K. Government’s £600,000 Contract for Social Media Surveillance Of “Misinformation Narratives”

The U.K. Government is set to spend £600,000 ($755,000) on social media surveillance to identify “harmful disinformation and misinformation narratives”. Reclaim the Net has the story. This is revealed in a notice posted on the Government’s Contracts Finder site that contains information about contracts whose value exceeds the equivalent of $15,000. It shows the authorities are looking for a “misinformation and disinformation monitoring and analysis service”. This current call for tender is the work of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and was published on April 23rd, closing a month later. … The announcement states that the place of performance of the contract will be the U.K., while the duration will be nine months, with the possibility of renewal. The

Details to U.K. Government’s £600,000 Contract for Social Media Surveillance Of “Misinformation Narratives”