More than 62,000 people have been arrested across the UK over the past five years for online speech offences, according to a new report by Big Brother Watch. Cases include a vulnerable teenage girl visited by police over a TikTok video she had not even created or shared. The Mail has the story:
A major free speech row erupted last night after it was revealed that more than 60,000 people have been arrested over the past five years for ‘communications offences’ – some as trivial as viewing disparaging TikTok videos.
The astonishing figure has been described as ‘Orwellian’, and having a ‘chilling effect’ in stifling opinions online.
The statistics – to be published in a hard-hitting report this week – also highlight the chaotic implementation of rules on ‘malicious’ messaging, with some police forces making 14 times more arrests under the powers than others.
The report, by campaign group Big Brother Watch, discloses that at least 62,199 people in the UK have been arrested for such offences over the past half-decade, with 18,510 being charged and 12,292 convicted.
Campaigners say that although a proportion of the arrests will be justifiable – such as intervention to stop threatening messages from abusive partners in domestic violence cases – the scope of the laws has spawned a rash of over-zealous policing of everyday communications.
The report cites the case of West Midlands Police visiting the home of a vulnerable teenage girl to accuse her over a TikTok post containing a teacher’s image with negative comments.
They demanded that the girl hand over all her devices and either attend a voluntary interview or face arrest – even though she had not created, shared or commented on the video.
The investigation later concluded with the child formally told that no further action was taken. The force defended their actions on the grounds that they were “investigating alleged malicious communications offences”.
Writing in today’s the Mail, Toby Young, director of the Free Speech Union, said: “Why are the authorities spending so much time policing our tweets when they could be policing our streets?
“Shoplifting, mobile phone theft and sexual offences are all on the rise, yet the police seem increasingly obsessed with catching thought criminals.
“The sheer number of people being arrested for online offences, even though only one in five end up being convicted, cannot help but have a chilling effect on free speech.
“People up and down the country daren’t say what they think about a whole range of issues for fear they’ll get a knock on their door at four in the morning by a couple of plainclothes officers wearing rainbow lanyards.”
Last year, a Hertfordshire couple were arrested after they made complaints about their daughter’s primary school on a WhatsApp group chat.
Rosalind Levine and Maxie Allen were held for 11 hours on suspicion of harassment and malicious communications.
They later received £20,000 in damages following a public outcry.
Worth reading in full.
Stop Press: You can read my comment piece in the Mail about Britain’s free speech crisis here.
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When you cannot speak freely you are no longer free. ——-Government has no choice but to silence, ban and jail people because if they don’t their absurdity and ideological depravity is exposed.
Pretty Stalinist language, but then again Britain is a highly controlled and authoritarian country. It really always has been.
With the expansion of free speech brought about by the Internet and social media, it was entirely predictable that we would see a ramping up of state violence to regain control and establish “order”.
This is only surprising if one has bought into the delusion that Britain is a free country.
Wasn’t the Rona plandemic just a cockup and the scariest plague since the Bubonic? 0.03% death rate? For a non – existing virus.
Rona is the collective future.
It was a test. Stalinist/Fascist/Absurdist.
and (sadly) it worked like a charm.
Much of this Orwellian behaviour can be traced to the training at, and policies of, the College of Policing. One of the most PC (no pun intended) and woke establishment institutionis in Britain today. Another major factor is the appallingly low intellectual ‘quality’ of the senior ranks of Plod around the country — most of them are a waste of oxygen and the vaaaast majority are just plain stupid — promoted to their level of incompetence (and then left there).
The College of Policing [Limited Companies House number 08235199] which was founded in 2012 by the Home Secretary (Theresa May). Accounts and annual report to 31 March 2024 were not published until 2 July 2025. It is 176 pages long. The report by the Comptroller and Auditor General was heavily qualified because accounting records were deficient. The Registrar of Companies had published a notice to strike off the College of Policing (ie to dissolve it) on 3 June 2025 for its failure to file accounts.
Auditors were unable to obtain “sufficient appropriate evidence” for Revenue of £26.4 mn, staff costs of £52.8mn, property plant and equipment £37.6mn, trade and other receivables £15.3mn and trade and other payables £26mn. Further details of the deficiencies are shown in the audit report.
Theresa May also established the Senior Police Officers Association which is a mutual admiration and self-protection organisation for the senior police and gives them cover for whatever wokery they decide upon.
The Local Government Association openly proclaim their political character as “We aim to influence and set the political agenda on the issues that matter to councils so they are able to deliver local solutions to national problems.”