The politician, a Member of Parliament for Clacton, made his remarks when replying to London mayoral candidate Sajid Javid who had asked Twitter what should be included in the UK's upcoming Digital Strategy if the nation's tech sector is to do even more for the economy.
Carswell replied saying exempting the UK from "single market red tape" on digital services and EU VAT rules would be a "good start".
He accompanied his Tweet with a hashtag reading #DigitalSaysLeave, which is interesting given the vast majority of people working in the UK tech sector actually want to stay in the EU based on this survey from industry trade body techUK.
@sajidjavid Exempting us from single market red tape on digital services and EU vat rules a good start? #DigitalSaysLeave
- Douglas Carswell MP (@DouglasCarswell) December 30, 2015A number of tech entrepreneurs, policymakers, and investors got involved in the debate, with Eileen Burbidge, a business advisor to Prime Minister David Cameron and an early employee at Skype, among the first to counter Carswell's remarks.
.@DouglasCarswell @sajidjavid with respect, no one I know in digital/tech wants Britain to leave EU, overwhelmingly in favour of in plus DSM
- Eileen Burbidge (@eileentso) December 30, 2015Carswell retweeted Burbidge and misquoted her in his accompanying comment, saying she claimed that "all" of Britain's digital businesses are pro-EU, when in fact she said "no one she knew."
I love Twitter! Govt business advisor claims digi businesses all pro EU. Loads contact said adviser saying otherwise https://t.co/tpzThJKIDW
- Douglas Carswell MP (@DouglasCarswell) December 30, 2015I love Twitter too! Elected official quotes my tweet using quote function and yet mis-quotes it at the same time https://t.co/hPbSkuVpPP
- Eileen Burbidge (@eileentso) December 30, 2015A number of UKIP voters rallied to support Carswell anyway, with IT and cloud consulting company North IT claiming regulation from the EU stops the from selling apps to Europe. The company wrote on Twitter: "We're a digital company. We're OUT."
Many other UKIP supporters tweeted Burbidge, chair of Tech City UK, to let her know that they were in favour of a Brexit (British exit from the EU).
@eileentso @DouglasCarswell @sajidjavid Maybe you haven't met enough. I'm a self-employed software developer and I'm very pro Brexit.
- Reuben Scratton (@ReubenH) December 30, 2015Burbidge asked those that want an EU exit to email her with more information on why.
The number of UKIP supporters sharing their pro-Brexit views seemed to catch Burbidge by surprise.
@mckeeGord wow, feels like I stepped into some crazy space-portal (can I just go back to RT'ing about scented candles and Drake pls?!) ;)
- Eileen Burbidge (@eileentso) December 30, 2015Several well-known faces in the UK tech sector took sides with Burbidge, including Guy Levin, the cofounder and CEO of Coadec (the Coalition for a Digital Economy) and James Clark, who works at the British Venture Capital Association.
.@eileentso @DouglasCarswell @sajidjavid Plenty of stuff wrong with EU (#EUvat just one), but single market & free movement vital to tech
- Guy Levin (@guy_levin) December 30, 2015@Pushtweeting @eileentso @DouglasCarswell Lose free movement and you lose all the businesses that come here - to start, to raise, & to list
- James Clark (@Ronin_Jim) December 30, 2015