London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jun 30, 2025

Brits concerned murder of MP will lead to internet crackdown, after officials call for end to online anonymity

Brits concerned murder of MP will lead to internet crackdown, after officials call for end to online anonymity

Many in the UK are expressing their worries about the future of internet freedom, after a group of MPs lobbied Prime Minister Boris Johnson to ban anonymous social media accounts in the wake of Sir David Amess’ death.

After the Tory MP was stabbed to death in a church on Friday by a man with links to Islamist extremism, several members of Parliament called for authoritarian social media laws that would prevent anonymity – despite no links having yet been established between the attack and Amess’ social media presence.

Mark Francois, the Conservative MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, said in the House of Commons following the attack that Amess “had become increasingly concerned about what he called the toxic environment in which MPs, particularly female MPs, were having to operate” and that he “was appalled by what he called the vile, misogynistic abuse which female MPs had to endure online.”

“He told me very recently that he wanted something done about it,” Francois continued, before suggesting that Parliament should “take the forthcoming Online Harms Bill and toughen it up markedly” if “we want to ensure that our colleague didn’t die in vain.”

The bill will reportedly utilize legal measures to “tackle some of the worst abuses on social media, including racist hate crimes,” according to the government, and also force Big Tech companies to remove “harmful content.”

During an appearance on GB News on Monday, Francois specifically called for an end to anonymity online, telling the programme’s host, former Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage, “We now want David’s Law, so that it will be illegal in future for people to go online in a cloak of anonymity and call people everything under the sun.”

Though Francois received support from fellow MPs, seemingly including Home Secretary Priti Patel, who said the government wanted to “make some big changes” to social media laws, the campaign has sparked a wave of concern among the general public.




“Anonymity is necessary for a lot of people to be able to engage safely with social media,” protested one woman, who listed whistleblowers, sex workers, victims of violence, and activists as just some of those who would be left vulnerable by a change in law.

“Not that it matters, but the worst abuse I’ve ever received on this platform has come from named accounts, not anonymous ones,” claimed New Statesman deputy online editor Rachel Cunliffe.

Others argued that the focus on social media was a distraction from the real problem: Islamist extremism and the radicalisation of adherents.




“Social media abuse didn’t kill Sir David Amess. Radical Islam did. This is a totally pointless tribute to a great man,” tweeted GB News host Patrick Christys, who suggested the UK should instead “tackle jihadis” to “honour” Amess.

On Saturday, the Metropolitan Police declared Amess’ death a “terrorist incident”. The suspected murderer was described by British media outlets as a 25-year-old man of Somali origin who was known to authorities and had previously been referred to the counter-extremism program Prevent.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
×