Imagine being unable to hold a conversation in your own house without the world knowing the topic of conservation and where you live. Imagine your landlord is held legally responsible for the content of your private conversations in the flat you rent from them. This dystopian vision is exactly how some Tory and Labour politicians want to treat the online world.

A cross-party group of MPs, led by Labour’s Lucy Powell, are today leading the latest in a long line of attempts to clamp down on internet freedom. Their calls to outlaw secret forums on social media and make large social media companies legally liable for content published on their services are as nonsensical as they are authoritarian.

It may surprise Ms Powell to learn that secret Facebook groups are not the sole preserve of racists and terrorists. Her proposal would have a knock-on effect of closing down important private spaces where people discuss difficult topics such as mental health and workplace discrimination, as well as revealing the members of these groups.

Online forums have become vital to many in solving everyday issues and providing support to vulnerable groups who may otherwise struggle to find people they can discuss sensitive issues with.