A British human rights group has revealed a covert government database being used to monitor and control communities.
The database, which belongs to Prevent, part of the United Kingdom's counter-extremism strategy, was uncovered by rights group Liberty through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests.
It includes sensitive personal information of every referral ever received by Prevent, which according to a UK official website aims to safeguard and support those vulnerable to "radicalisation".
However, the vast majority of referrals haven't resulted in any de-radicalisation action, meaning that potentially thousands of people have been entered into the database based on their alleged thoughts and beliefs.
Information is gathered by public servants such as teachers who are compelled by Prevent to monitor and report signs of what they believe could indicate "extremism".
Police can add people to the database, which Gracie Bradley, Liberty's policy and campaigns manager, said is counterintuitive to the public's safety.
"It's about keeping tabs on and controlling people - particularly minority communities and political activists," she said in a statement.
"It is utterly chilling that potentially thousands of people, including children, are on a secret government database because of what they're perceived to think or believe," she added.
FOIs disclosed the people referred are not told they are on the database or what kind of information is held against them thereby making it difficult - if not impossible - to challenge.
This withholding of information and lack of awareness from those who are added to the database "disproves the government's claim that Prevent is a safeguarding policy", Liberty said.
Established by the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act of 2015, Prevent has been decried by academics, ..
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