Prime Minister Theresa May has said that the internet must now be regulated, after the London terror attack that took place on Saturday night.
Seven people were killed and many more injured after three terrorists drove a van into crowds and then went to Borough Market and stabbed people.
The PM added that technology companies are not doing enough, and that new regulation would 'deprive extremists of their safe spaces online'.
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Credit: PA Images
During a speech outside Downing Street this morning, she explained: "We cannot allow this ideology the safe space it needs to breed - yet that is precisely what the internet, and the big companies that provide internet-based services, provide.
"We need to work with allied democratic governments to reach international agreements to regulate cyberspace to prevent the spread of extremist and terrorism planning."
However, cyber expert Dr Jessica Barker, Co-Founder of Redacted Firm, told LADbible: "There are many problems with Theresa May's statement. The internet is not something that can be regulated in the sense she means; trying to do so will only drive terrorist/criminal activity further underground.
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"It could potentially make the job harder for intelligence agencies. This approach is a sticking plaster. It is not dealing with the root cause."
Dr Barker, who also runs cyber.uk, explained that the internet regulation could make young people feel censored. She added: "In terms of the average young person, this approach could add to a feeling of oppression."
The Conservative manifesto pledges that they will look into regulation of the internet if they win the General Election on 8 June. They hope to ensure that internet providers take part in counter-extremism drives, reports the Independent.
Former work and pensions secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, backed the Prime Minister, telling the BBC: "The Prime Minister today made it clear that whatever the security services need in new laws in tightening up, if necessary, to have in-house incarceration, we will have to have a look at that.
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"Also to make sure the cyber companies no longer allow our children to be able to go through these sites - lots of parents don't know what their children are looking at right now - and only the cyber companies, only these big companies that operate in the internet, need to face up to their responsibilities as well."
Iain Duncan Smith. Credit: PA Images
He continued: "I think many people out there worry that they have avoided this for too long, made excuses, found reasons why not.
"If we want to protect people's human rights, the first thing we have to do is make sure those who would take them away from them violently need to be dealt with and that requires those companies hugely to step up."
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Sources: BBC, Independent
Topics: theresa may