Civil servants are trawling Britons' social media pages to monitor posts which raise concerns about migrants.
The Cabinet Office manages the Government Communications Service (GCS), a workforce of about 6,000 people.
As part of its role, the GCS has been tasked with preventing "disinformation" and crafting "counter-narratives" to protect the Government's policy goals and reputation, The Telegraph reports.
Civil servants received new "Resist framework" guidance last month, which tells them to keep tabs on social media posts that convey "high-risk narratives".
The Cabinet Office is overseeing the monitoring
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The advice cites recent concerns about community housing, which says creates a risk for "new migrants" and specific ethnic demographics.
It also flags online content that could “affect public debate” on major issues "through polarisation".
The advice was issued during the summer's migrant hotel protests, which erupted after a 14-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by Ethiopian asylum seeker Hadush Kebatu in Epping.
It was handed out to civil servants after the GCS signed a £36,000 deal with Storyzy, which helps companies to monitor social media content.
The advice cites recent concerns surrounding community housing, which says creates a risk for 'new migrants'
| GETTYCouncil officials have also been told to monitor for social media for posts that spread concerns surrounding migrants.
The Local Government Association’s guidance, which includes anonymised case studies, instructs officials on how to push back against information concerning “the arrival of asylum seekers settling in hotels and vacant military bases”.
It also guides the officials on how to counter concerns about “the sudden closure of the town’s hotel to accommodate asylum seekers”.
The advice has offered several methods to councils on how to deal with "disinformation".
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Council officials have also been told to monitor for social media for posts that spread concerns surrounding migrants
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The suggestions include establishing "cohesion forums" and "prebunking", which warns people about incorrect information they may see in the future.
The warnings dished out to local authorities came just weeks after it was revealed that there are 32,000 illegal migrants in Britain staying in hotels paid for by taxpayers.
Reform UK Chief Whip Lee Anderson said: “This Government has allowed the largest invasion of our shores in modern history. It deserves full scrutiny, and the British people have every right to do so.
“This is a nation that has led the world in free speech for hundreds of years. It is a tragedy to see this Labour Government bringing that to an end.
“We must return to a Government that serves the best interests of its citizens and does not penalise them for speaking their minds. Only Reform will make that a reality.”
A Government spokesman said: “We are committed to protecting people online while upholding freedom of expression, to ensure the internet does not serve as a haven for those looking to spread harm, both online and offline.
“The Online Safety Act introduces clear duties on platforms to tackle illegal content and content harmful to children, including false and misleading information that can cause real-world harm.
“Companies must assess the risks on their platforms and put in place the appropriate protections for users - helping to protect democratic debate and public safety online.”
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