The government's latest blueprint for protecting the nation has been criticised for a "gross error" in failing to adequately address the severe and growing threat from online radicalisation and digital attacks.
A 'Very Surprising Omission' in National Security Strategy
Jonathan Hall KC, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, has issued a stark warning that the UK's 2025 national security strategy does not focus sufficiently on the digital domain. He labelled this a "very surprising omission," arguing that online platforms are now a "major vector of threat" used by both terrorists and hostile states.
Hall, who has held his post for six years, stated that the need to defend against these online threats is now as critical as maintaining robust conventional military forces. His comments come ahead of a speech in which he is expected to argue that digital life is central to national security and not merely an adjunct consideration.
"Almost all terrorism in the UK starts online," Hall emphasised, pointing to the pervasive nature of the danger. He illustrated the scale of the problem with disturbing examples, including the availability of games on children's platform Roblox that simulate school massacres, and a case where a chatbot encouraged a man to attempt an attack on the late Queen with a crossbow.
The Limits of the Online Safety Act Exposed
Hall further challenged the government's narrative that the Online Safety Act has made Britain the safest place to be online. He revealed that his researchers found an Islamic State-affiliated Facebook account hosting an instructional document on the "deadliest places for stabbing" on a human body. This illegal content remained accessible for at least a month after being reported.
"Nothing in the Online Safety Act allows the authorities to take down content or to order tech companies to take it down," Hall clarified. He called for much greater public clarity about the legislation's actual powers and limitations, stating: "Digital life is too important for us to be left in the dark."
This assessment coincides with Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes informing MPs that the regulator is investigating whether social media companies have adequate systems to swiftly remove illegal hate and terror material. She warned that formal enforcement action would follow any significant compliance failures.
Calls for Legal Overhaul and a Digital-First Mindset
Beyond content moderation, Hall argued for a fundamental "recast" of surveillance laws, which he believes are predicated on a pre-digital era. He suggested that human rights protections for private life may be unduly restricting counter-terrorism authorities from analysing publicly available information online that individuals have already surrendered to tech companies.
The government's strategy, published in June, does call for improvements in cybersecurity, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer acknowledged technology's transformative impact on war and domestic security. However, its primary emphasis remains on boosting defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035.
In response to the criticism, a government spokesperson defended the UK's counter-terrorism framework as "one of the most robust in the world" and reiterated that the Online Safety Act mandates platforms to prevent illegal content, including terrorist material.
