Petition reaches 10k signatures: Require broadcasters to call proscribed terrorist organisations terrorists

Terrorism legislation should be amended to require all broadcasters regulated by Ofcom to describe all terrorist organisations proscribed in the UK and their operatives as “terrorists” and not by any descriptor, such as “militants”, which does not make their terrorist nature clear.

A number of broadcasters, including public service broadcasters and other broadcasters, describe proscribed terrorist organisations by descriptors such as “militants”. This fails to clearly convey to audiences that these organisations are proscribed under terrorism legislation, and that their operatives are criminals carrying out illegal activities. Such descriptors can be seen as an indication that the broadcaster considers their proscription to be trivial or even wrong, thereby potentially assisting those who advocate terrorism.