Farage calls for ‘tech answer' to protecting children online
Speaking on LBC, Mr Farage described the comments, made by Technology Secretary Peter Kyle, as 'absolutely appalling'.
During the phone-in, the Clacton MP took questions about his opposition to the Online Safety Act and new Government demands that social media companies tackle illegal content and activity online, along with content that is harmful to children.
George Nicolaou, from Cheshunt in Hertfordshire, said his 15-year-old son Christoforos was 'murdered by predators to an attack propagated through social medias three years ago'.
He described the law as a 'matter of life and death' for some families.
Mr Farage replied: 'If age verification of itself was able to prevent incidents and tragedies like this, I would, George, 100% support it.
'But the problem is it doesn't, because of the VPN route.'
VPNs or virtual private networks can enable internet users to circumvent the new rules, by masking a user's digital identity.
'There has to be a tech answer around this,' Mr Farage added.
'I don't know what it is, certainly the Government doesn't know what it is, but there has to be a tech answer of some kind, and we need to try and find it.'
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle arrives in Downing Street for a Cabinet meeting (James Manning/PA)
Mr Farage also said: 'We're talking about, how do we protect young people?
'How do we stop them accessing dangerous, violent content, or worse?
'I'll tell you what, George, here's the real danger – that if you go through a VPN, you can then access content on what's called the dark web, which is even worse than what you can find online now.'
Mr Kyle told Sky News earlier this week: 'I see that Nigel Farage is already saying that he's going to overturn these laws.
'So you know, we have people out there who are extreme pornographers, peddling hate, peddling violence. Nigel Farage is on their side.
'Make no mistake about it, if people like Jimmy Savile were alive today, he'd be perpetrating his crimes online. And Nigel Farage is saying that he's on their side.'
Mr Farage said: 'Most 13-year-olds are more tech savvy than Peter Kyle and the people that drew up this legislation didn't know what they were doing.
'We have to have a fresh look.'
The Reform UK leader alleged the Government was 'setting up an elite police force to monitor what people say about illegal immigration and migrant hotels'.
He added: 'This legislation is the biggest threat to free, open debate and speech we've ever seen.'
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BBC News
6 minutes ago
- BBC News
Farage calls on police to share immigration status of charged suspects
Nigel Farage has called on the police to release the immigration status of suspects charged with crimes following the arrest of two men in connection with the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl in Reform UK party leader said he "absolutely" thinks such details should be released when asked about the matter at a news conference on has been reported that the two men charged in connection with the alleged rape in Nuneaton last month are Afghan nationals but the police have not confirmed this. Warwickshire Police said once someone is charged with an offence, the force follows national guidance that does not include sharing ethnicity or immigration status. The authorised professional practice followed by forces across the country, and cited by the College of Policing, says the told the BBC there was some concern among police that disclosing the immigration status could lead to disorder in the area but that officers "went by the book" when releasing by a reporter at the news conference in Westminster whether police should release the names, addresses and immigration statuses of suspects after they have been charged with a crime, Farage said: "What caused unrest on our streets after Southport last year was us not being told the status of the attacker."That led to crazy conspiracy theories spreading online."Last year's deadly attack in Southport, in which three young girls were murdered, led to the spreading of a false claim online that the attacker was a Muslim asylum a perceived lack of information from police about Nuneaton to what happened in Southport last July, Farage continued: "To have masses of speculation as to what might have happened makes things I think far worse than they otherwise would be".Asked to clarify his thoughts further on whether he thought police forces should be obliged to publish such details, he said: "Yes, I absolutely think that they should."Later in the news conference, Farage called the police's decision not to release details about the alleged Nuneaton attackers a "cover-up that in many ways is reminiscent of what happened after the Southport killings last year.""It is not... in any way at all a contempt of court for the British public to know the identity of those who allegedly have committed serious crimes," he added."I felt that in the wake of the Southport attacks, and I feel that ever more strongly today." Ahmad Mulakhil has been charged with two counts of rape, while Mohammad Kabir has been accused of kidnap, strangulation and aiding and abetting the rape of a girl aged under Mulakhil, 23, appeared before magistrates in Coventry on 28 July, while Mr Kabir, also 23, appeared in court on were remanded in of Warwickshire County Council George Finch told the same news conference on Monday morning that he was "begging" for information to be released following the who at 19 became the youngest council leader in the UK and represents Reform UK, said he had contacted the chief executive of the council, Monica Fogarty, saying he wished to speak to Warwickshire Police "to urge" them to release the immigration status about the first man charged."I was begging for this to be released, screaming, phoning, asking [for the information] to be released", he the charging of the second suspect, Finch said he wrote a letter addressed to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Warwickshire Police's Chief Constable Alex Franklin-Smith calling for the immediate release of the two suspects' published the letter on his social media accounts on Sunday, in which he said Ms Fogarty had told him that Mr Kabir was an asylum seeker living in a house of multiple occupancy (HMO). Speaking on Monday, Finch said he would be working to "fight against" houses of multiple occupancy that "have been put up to house illegal immigrants".He also claimed Reform UK needed to "change things" and are "the last line of defence against the blob, the cover-ups of the councils".When asked if police should release the ethnicity of people charged with offences, the prime minister's official spokesman said the police and courts were operationally independent but the principle was to be "as transparent as possible"."We've always said and continue to say that transparency is important," he said."That is our position. For police up to central government, we should always be as transparent as possible when it comes to cases."He added: "This is clearly a deeply upsetting and distressing case which the public are right to feel shocked and angry about."In relation to this case, the individuals have been charged and we are now in a live investigation."In a statement, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe said: "It is essential to state that policing decisions - such as whether to release details about a suspect - must follow national guidance and legal requirements."He added that he would not speculate on the personal circumstances of those involved while court proceedings were BBC has contacted Warwickshire County Council for comment.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Reform's 19-year-old council leader risks contempt of court over rape case comments
A Reform UK council leader risks being found in contempt of court after making a number of statements about the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl during a press conference in London. It comes after Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, was charged with the rape of a girl in Nuneaton last week. Meanwhile, Mohammad Kabir, also 23, was charged with kidnap and strangulation. Warwickshire Police has not released the immigration status of the two suspects. George Finch - the 19-year-old Warwickshire county council leader - risks having broken the law with a comment he made about the case. Contempt of court refers to behaviour that interferes with the administration of justice or undermines the authority of the court. The Independent is not able to repeat a number of claims Mr Finch makes in the press conference without the newspaper risking contempt of court. At one point during the press conference, Mr Finch acknowledged the risks attached to talking about a live legal case, saying: 'I was told if I released this, I'd be in contempt of court.' The youngest council leader in the country claimed there has been a 'cover-up' of details about the case. It came as Nigel Farage suggested police forces should release information including immigration status about people who are charged with crimes. The Reform UK leader said that he 'absolutely' believes that information should be made available by police forces. In a statement, Warwickshire Police said that once someone is charged with an offence, they follow national guidance, which 'does not include sharing ethnicity or immigration status'. Mr Finch told Monday's press conference that he was 'begging' for information about the two to be released in the wake of the charges. He said he had emailed the council's chief executive to say that he wished to speak to the police force and urge them to release information about the men's immigration status. Mr Finch also said he had later written a letter to home secretary Yvette Cooper and the chief constable of Warwickshire Police calling for the immediate release of the immigration status of the two. Mr Finch also claimed that Reform UK needs to 'change things' and is 'the last line of defence against the blob, the cover-ups'.
Metro
an hour ago
- Metro
‘I create fake IDs of your MP so you can get round Online Safety Act'
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