LONDON: Several British universities assured major defense companies that they would monitor students’ chat groups and social media accounts amid fears of campus protests, according to newly released emails.
Documents obtained by The Guardian and Liberty Investigates under freedom of information laws show that Loughborough, Heriot-Watt, and Glasgow universities responded to concerns raised by firms including Rolls-Royce, Raytheon UK, and BAE Systems ahead of careers fairs.
At Loughborough, officials told a recruitment firm hosting a “Rolls-Royce roadshow” that security teams were carrying out “active monitoring of social media to provide early intelligence about protests,” adding that “protest has been a concern for employers in recent times.”
A university spokesperson said previous masked demonstrations by the Loughborough Action for Palestine group had left some students feeling unsafe amid allegations of antisemitism.
“We observe the group’s public feed occasionally so as to forewarn those who may be affected in advance of any protests. We are unapologetic for this. We do not surveil students’ social media,” the spokesperson said.
