Nobody expects them to admit to spying, but it allows to hit them with another charge if caught.
It is the same with the questions the US asks visitors or people who want to get a government job.
snaprails@feddit.uk 5 days ago
Yes, this can’t fail. Now when asked for the purpose of their visit they’ll have to write “spying” rather than “to see the historic cathedral”. That’ll put an end to their shenanigans.
Treczoks@lemmy.world 4 days ago
PhilipTheBucket@ponder.cat 5 days ago
There’s a big grey area. Someone might be doing a podcast talking about a bunch of appealing topics for young men looking for their path in life, and every so often just slip in some talking points about immigrants buying up all the housing and that’s why their rent is so high, how badly the liberal party betrayed the voters and how the conservatives are going to give them their country back, that kind of thing. Le Pen got a raw deal, all she’s trying to do is save her country and the corrupt forces that dominate politics took her down for their own reasons. Look at this migrant who assaulted these innocent people, I’m just saying it’s a problem, it’s not racist, it’s reality.
And lo and behold someone might find out that that podcaster along with 200 others is being paid by Russia to destabilize British society and support the leaders that will serve Russia’s geopolitical goals. Should we put that podcaster in prison, or else force them to be honest with the British government about what they’re doing, so they can at a bare minimum keep some tabs on it? I mean, it’s not enough, but such a law sounds like a good start to me.
Russia has been exploiting the open nature of societies outside itself, and getting away with it to enact a whole lot of harm. Like a lot. It’s time to stop being polite with them and the people that are helping them do it.
Churbleyimyam@lemm.ee 5 days ago
I wish I could give your comment more than one upvote. I think the vast majority of us are not fully aware that we’re in the middle of an active Russian propaganda campaign. Apparently there are at least 10,000 people in Russia employed full-time on this and a tiny fraction of that here to try and combat it.
I think this is the first time our society has been subject to a state-backed propaganda campaign since the widespread adoption of the internet (which is of course not regulated like ‘legacy media’ is) and so it makes sense that most people aren’t really on their guard for it. The government has no excuse though. They are reported to by the intelligence services, who know exactly what is happening here.
Wrrzag@lemmy.ml 3 days ago
We’ve been propagandized for decades, what are you talking about? Both from our different governments and from foreign ones.