Cyberspace is unregulated ‘Wild West’, says MI5 chief

THE head of Britain’s security service has warned the internet is turning into a “Wild West”, saying the lack of regulation is “mystifying”.

Sir Andrew Parker, the outgoing head of MI5, also appealed to the internet giants to come up with a form of encryption that would allow law enforcement agencies to protect people from online harms. Questioning why there was so little regulation of social media and the internet, he said: “Are we really wanting a world where there’s a cyberspace that is a Wild West, unregulated, inaccessible to authorities, space?

“But the physical world is regulated, policed, we do want to have, to see, uniformed police on the streets, we

‘Why is it we think differently just because it’s cyberspace? I find this increasingly mystifying’

want crime to be dealt with. Why is it we think differently just because it’s cyberspace? I find this increasingly mystifying.”

Speaking on ITV’S Tonight, Sir Andrew urged the internet firms to help resolve the row over plans for increased end-to-end encryption that the Government says will prevent police and spy agencies from tracking down terrorists, child abusers and criminals.

He said: “I say to the companies, can you please use the brilliant technologists you’ve got to answer this question, which is: can you provide end-to-end encryption but on an exceptional basis – exceptional basis – where there is a legal warrant and a compelling case to do it, provide access to stop the most serious forms of harm happening?”