Terrorists use social media as ‘command-and-control network’, says UK spy chief

The new head of Britain’s electronic eavesdropping agency has accused internet firms of being “in denial” of the role their networks play in terrorism and demanded they open themselves up more to intelligence services. GCHQ director Robert Hannigan said they had become the “command-and-control networks of choice” for a new generation of web-savvy criminals and extremists, such as Islamic State (IS) jihadists. In an outspoken article for the Financial Times, he warned firms that their users did not want their social networks used “to facilitate murder or child abuse”.

Their services not only host the material of violent extremism or child exploitation, but are the routes for the facilitation of crime and terrorism.

Robert Hannigan

The question of state surveillance of communications was thrust under the spotlight by the exposure - by U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden - of secret mass data collection programmes run by the U.S. and UK authorities. Mr Hannigan conceded that GCHQ (pictured) had to “show how we are accountable for the data we use to protect people” and was “happy to be part of a mature debate on privacy in the digital age”. Emma Carr, director of Big Brother Watch, said GCHQ “failed to provide evidence” that internet firms were being obstructive. “Perpetuating falsehoods about the nature of relations between internet companies and the intelligence agencies is certainly not going to help,” she said.

Privacy has never been an absolute right and the debate about this should not become a reason for postponing urgent and difficult decisions.

Robert Hannigan

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