UK government contracts AI firm to monitor social media
The UK government awarded a £2.3 million contract to Faculty AI in November 2024 to develop a social media monitoring platform operated by the National Security Online Information Team. Civil society groups have raised concerns about transparency and the potential for the system to be used to suppress lawful speech, particularly given the predecessor unit's history of monitoring journalists and politicians.
What happened
The UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology awarded a £2.3 million contract to Faculty AI in November 2024 to build the Counter Disinformation Data Platform (CDDP), which monitors social media for posts the government deems "concerning" or a threat to national security and public safety.
The platform is operated by the National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT), formerly called the Counter Disinformation Unit (CDU), which was set up in 2019 and previously faced criticism for amassing files on journalists, academics and MPs who challenged the Government's narrative during the pandemic. Heavily redacted Freedom of Information documents show the platform can be "pivoted to focus on any priority area" beyond its current national security focus.
Reported impact
Big Brother Watch warned that the Government was refusing to publish information about the platform while avoiding questions from Parliament and the Intelligence and Security Committee. The organisation cautioned that there is a risk the platform could be used to pressure social media companies to censor the public's lawful speech.
Index analysis
Matt Clifford, the Prime Minister's AI opportunities adviser and chairman of the Advanced Research and Invention Agency, was an investor in Faculty AI until mid-January 2025 when he divested his shareholding following public disclosure of the contract. Clifford has 40 other private shareholdings, 10 of which have received more than £7.75 million in taxpayer money since 2016, though none directly from DSIT.
Governance controls
Following the disclosure, Clifford's contract was updated to require DSIT's permanent secretary approval for any shareholding changes or sales, and he must now recuse himself from procurement decisions.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.