Britain’s new MI6 chief has issued a stark warning that global power is increasingly shifting away from elected politicians and toward technology companies and the individuals who control them. Speaking publicly for the first time since taking office, Blaise Metreweli said tech firms are now closer to running the world than democratic governments, as reported by iNews.
Metreweli, who became head of the Secret Intelligence Service in September, delivered her speech at MI6 headquarters in Vauxhall. She focused on how technology and control over information are reshaping global security, warning that societies are entering a prolonged “grey zone” between peace and war. In this environment, power is becoming more diffuse and unpredictable, increasingly held by corporations and, in some cases, by single individuals rather than states.
A central concern in her address was the role of algorithms and online platforms in shaping public perception. Metreweli argued that information has become weaponised, with falsehoods spreading faster than facts and online systems amplifying division, misinformation, and social fragmentation. She said this erosion of trust threatens the shared sense of truth that underpins democratic societies.
Although she avoided naming specific figures, her comments clearly pointed to the influence of major technology leaders who control social media, satellite networks, space infrastructure, and artificial intelligence systems. Such platforms, she suggested, now wield influence over information flows, public debate, and even military operations in ways that governments struggle to match or regulate.
Metreweli linked her concerns to her previous role as MI5’s “Q,” where she oversaw the development of advanced intelligence technology. That experience, she said, reinforced her belief that the defining challenge of the 21st century is not just who possesses the most powerful technology, but who guides it responsibly.
Beyond technology, the MI6 chief also addressed Russia, describing it as the most immediate and persistent threat to UK and allied security. She accused Moscow of deliberately prolonging the war in Ukraine while simultaneously pressuring Western countries through cyber attacks, sabotage, disinformation campaigns, and aggressive military posturing that stays just below the threshold of open conflict.
Metreweli warned that these tactics are designed to exploit divisions within societies and undermine democratic institutions from within. She stressed that the UK’s support for Ukraine would remain firm and that pressure on Russia would be sustained.
Concluding her speech, she said the struggle over technology, truth, and power will define global security for decades. How societies respond, she argued, will determine not only their safety and prosperity, but the future of democracy itself.
