Hostile states such as China pose a greater threat to Britain than profit-driven big tech firms through their exploitation of the internet to secure geopolitical ambitions, the head of Britain’s intelligence and cyber security agency said on Wednesday.
Jeremy Fleming, the director of GCHQ, said that China was harnessing its technological expertise to its traditional economic and political diplomacy to promote its world view while western democracies were struggling with their own big ideas on the future of the web.
He said that tech companies such as Facebook and Google had to be held more accountable for harmful content on their platforms but told an online seminar: “I have to say it’s the hostile state end of it that worries me more.”
Mr Fleming has previously spoken of China as an "intelligence adversary" and accused unidentified hostile states, in a veiled reference to Beijing, being involved in snooping on Covid-19 vaccination development programmes. Other British intelligence chiefs have spoken of China being the UK's biggest long-term security challenge.
Mr Fleming’s comments come after a turbulent week for Facebook after a whistle-blower came forward to claim that the company prioritised profit over the safety of its users. The company also suffered major technical difficulties with Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram going down, sending its stock tumbling 5 per cent.
Speaking at the event organised by the Chatham House think tank, Mr Fleming said that rival states were tussling to promote their vision of how the internet would operate in the future with an explosion of new users expected from rural India, China and Africa in the coming years.
Experts described how conflicting agendas are changing the nature of the “splinternet” and seeking to shape how it runs in the future. Corporations are at the forefront of seeking control of the internet’s machinery in the US while Europe has set greater store on personal data protection. In China, the state seeks to control all online activity for the greater national good.
Mr Fleming said the UK and other like-minded states should start by tackling harmful content and behaviour on the worldwide web that would not be accepted in the real world and to probe the “responsibilities of those marshalling all of this data”.
“Yes, it’s not fair to put all of the onus on to Facebook or Google, but it’s certainly fair to expect more from them in the debate about how it is technologically possible to regulate them in different ways, to hold them to account in different ways,” he said.
He cited the UK’s proposed Online Safety Bill, the most ambitious legislation of its kind anywhere in the world, which aims to regulate companies such as Facebook and Twitter and impose fines if they breach the duty of care to their users.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
