A COVERT Home Office counter-terrorism programme that produces viral videos on social media has been exposed.

The popular “This Is Woke” Facebook page and Instragram feed are now believed to be run by a shadowy UK government unit, according to an investigation by the Middle East Eye.

Securocrats at the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism (OSCT) are said to have hired a media firm, Breakthrough Media (now named Zinc Network), to produce slick videos aimed at young people under the brand “This is Woke.”

The label claims to promote “critical discussions around Muslim identity, tradition and reform” and has made a viral video titled “It’s time to hold extremism to account for terrorism, not Islam,” which has been viewed 1.7 million times.

Another short film about Islamic head coverings was filmed outside the Soas university in London, but Muslim women who took part say they were not told by the production company that it was funded from the Home Office’s counter-terrorism budget.

Instead they were told it was for International Women’s Day.

The company also produced a video telling young people how to spot fake news, without revealing its own ties to a controversial government unit.

The OSCT refused to answer freedom of information requests from the Middle East Eye about its “This Is Woke” operation.

Civil servants said transparency “would open up detailed information about organisations and individuals who are engaged in the delivery of, and who are supporting, activities to prevent terrorism.

“This includes activity to disrupt those who promote terrorism, and protect individuals who are vulnerable to recruitment, or who have already been recruited by extremists.”

Officials concluded that any openness around the This Is Woke operation would “undermine the effectiveness of the Home Office strategies, and hence weaken and prejudice the national security of the UK.”

A Home Office spokesperson told the Middle East Eye: “We are committed to using all of the tools available to counter the threat from terrorism in the UK.

“The Home Office works in partnership with a range of organisations from across civil society, industry, private and public sectors to reduce vulnerabilities to organised criminal, extremist and terrorist threats in the UK.”