King Charles warns malicious online actors are evolving tactics

King Charles III has warned that disinformation and other hostile online activity threaten trust and security in the digital age.

In a letter marking the 10th anniversary of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), he said malicious actors continue to evolve their tactics by using automated technologies. He wrote that strong cyber security is fundamental to making the online environment safer and more resilient, amid threats to the international order and the need to balance the risks and opportunities of powerful new technologies.

The letter, published on Saturday by the NCSC, praised the agency’s work over the past decade, including defending the UK against cyber attacks, safeguarding democratic institutions and protecting critical infrastructure. Charles said he was acutely aware that much of the NCSC’s work could not be praised publicly and expressed profound gratitude for it.

Established in 2016 as part of the Government Communications Headquarters, the NCSC works to protect the UK against cyber threats. The letter followed the King’s meeting last month with AI executives at Dumfries House in Ayrshire, where he discussed how the technology could benefit security. He warned that AI falling into the wrong hands could pose existential dangers and urged the executives to keep technology in the service of humanity, communities and the natural world.