Respect can be a rare commodity online, depending on what Twitter threads or Facebook groups you are in. But the word was used firmly by the UK government last month when it said it would resist attempts to water down its proposed powers over the internet.
The mannered language belies a legislative wolf in sheep’s clothing, say critics of the online safety bill. This much-contested legislation returns to parliament on 12 July, and MPs made it clear this week that they think the culture secretary will have too much power over the internet as it stands.
