BBC will shop viewers to their BOSS if they post 'offensive' online comments in shock new policy blasted as 'Orwellian' by privacy campaigners

• EXCLUSIVE: BBC says personal information can be used if users are 'offensive'
• Policy sparks furious backlash online with corporation accused of 'blackmail'
• Free speech campaigner Tom Slater says: 'That anyone could draft this without getting flashes of Nineteen Eighty-Four is beyond me'

By Scott Campbell For Mailonline

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4524810/BBC-threat-report-o...

Published: 10:03 BST, 20 May 2017 | Updated: 01:39 BST, 21 May 2017

The BBC is threatening to report users to their bosses if they leave 'offensive' comments on one of the corporation's websites, it has been revealed.

Its privacy policy has sparked a furious backlash online with the broadcaster branded 'Orwellian' and accused of 'blackmail'.

The draconian document warns that if the corporation deems a comment to be 'offensive, inappropriate or objectionable' then a user could have their 'personal information' used against them.

The policy - which a spokesman said is 'standard' - also applies to those who 'engage in any disruptive behaviour on any BBC service' - although the definition of what constitutes such a sanction is not clearly defined.

It further states that a 'defamatory' post could result in a user's 'employer, school email/internet provider or law enforcement agency' being informed directly.

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The BBC's privacy policy has sparked a furious backlash online with the broadcaster branded 'Orwellian' and accused of 'blackmail'

The policy says: 'If you post or send offensive, inappropriate or objectionable content anywhere on or to BBC websites or otherwise engage in any disruptive behaviour on any BBC service, the BBC may use your personal information to stop such behaviour'

Free speech campaigner Tom Slater, the deputy editor of Spiked magazine, told MailOnline: 'The idea that the BBC reserves the power to shop you to your boss for saying something 'objectionable' should concern anyone who believes in free speech.

'The definitions are so broad. 'Objectionable' according to whom? Who decides? That anyone could draft this without getting flashes of Nineteen Eighty-Four is beyond me. '

The policy says: 'If you post or send offensive, inappropriate or objectionable content anywhere on or to BBC websites or otherwise engage in any disruptive behaviour on any BBC service, the BBC may use your personal information to stop such behaviour.

Twitter users reacted with fury to the policy which was branded 'Orwellian'

One said the document takes political correctness to a 'whole new level'

Another added: 'This could kill the internet as we know it'

'Where the BBC reasonably believes that you are or may be in breach of any applicable laws (e.g. because content you have posted may be defamatory), the BBC may use your personal information to inform relevant third parties such as your employer, school email/internet provider or law enforcement agencies about the content and your behaviour.'

A senior BBC source denied to MailOnline that the policy would apply to 'politically-motivated' comments but said that in some 'legal circumstances' the corporation could make contact with a user's employer.

The insider added that the BBC would normally alert the authorities if a comment was deemed to be in breach of the law.

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Free speech campaigner Tom Slater, the deputy editor of Spiked magazine, pictured, told MailOnline: 'The idea that the BBC reserves the power to shop you to your boss for saying something 'objectionable' should concern anyone who believes in free speech'

But they refused to reveal how the corporation decides what is 'offensive' or 'objectionable' and did not comment on the process for contacting a user's employer.

Social media users reacted with fury to the policy branding the BBC 'out of control' and saying that the corporation has 'absolutely no right' to contact employers.

They also called for 'political action' while branding the document 'Orwellian'.

Twitter user JURE71 said: 'Can we report BBC staff to their bosses (ultimately OFCOM) that we don't agree with their postings on the basis they are biased?' 

Frank Fisher added: 'When did we appoint the BBC to be judge and jury? If you suspect a crime, who do you normally call?'

Another commented: 'I am self-employed, they can email me, phone me, I will say what I feel is right, and won't be told what to say or think by snowflakes.'

Daniel Lopez Sainz tweeted: 'The receivers of the forcibly taken 'license fee' have just gained a new title, speech police.'

A BBC spokesperson said: 'This wording isn't new – it is standard in many privacy policies, including some newspapers, and has been in ours since 2003.

It's designed to let people know that there may be circumstances where the BBC would take action, if we believed it was warranted by serious unlawful behaviour - for example if someone was at risk.'

The Mail does not routinely contact employers or the police about comments deemed offensive.