A congresswoman from California went after the Department of Homeland Security this week, calling their practice of monitoring social media “outrageous” and demanding that the DHS do something else with their money.
Rep. Jackie Speier (D-California), had tough words for the DHS during a Homeland Security subcommittee hearing in Washington on Thursday. In particular, Rep. Speier said she was “outraged” that the agency had spent millions of dollars on a private contractor to monitor social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, and additionally keep an eye on news sites including Wired, WikiLeaks and the Drudge Report.
Speier specifically called for the DHS to abolish their monitoring program immediately, and in her testimony she cited an Electronic Privacy Information Center request to “suspend the collection of public reaction and reports to policy proposals that reflect adversely on DHS or the government.”
“I for one wholeheartedly agree with their recommendations,” said Speier.
Speier also called into question the $11 million contract that the DHS has with General Dynamics to monitor Web activity, saying it was “irrelevant,” unnecessary and fit for suspension.
Information obtained by EPIC regarding the program reveals that the DHS has been surveying public online posts since as early as 2006. The monitoring involves looking at “publicly available online forums, blogs, public websites and message boards,” says EPIC, and Mary Ellen Callahan, the DHS chief privacy officer, defends the practice.
“We are just focusing on the event, the situation that is going on, and not worrying about the individual,” Callahan told the subcommittee. “We don’t collect information on individuals. We don’t monitor them in regards to First Amendment activity.”
The release of information pertaining to the DHS’ elusive social media monitoring program has only come to light after EPIC filed a lawsuit against the government last year. When the DHS did respond and provided nearly 300 pages of information on the program, Speier was one of many who was appalled by how the government was monitoring not just social media, but journalists as well.
According to EPIC’s findings, the DHS had okayed the collection of data posted by “anchors, newscasters or on-scene reporters who … use traditional and/or social media. This would allow the agency to build files on bloggers and Internet activists.”
“I find that outrageous,” responded Spiers on Thursday.
Callahan answered by insisting that the material is only analyzed in instances where the government needs to build a case in which point it could “add credibility.”
“What I’m suggesting to you is that [reporter data] is irrelevant and you don’t need it,” rebutted Spiers.
Source - http://rt.com/usa/news/security-dhs-social-media-631/
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NEXT: Will (DHS) Deem 1st Amendment Activities—SUPPORT Terrorism, Hostilities, Belligerents?
Where U.S. Government appears headed with the Patriot Act, The National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 and recently introduced “Enemy Expatriation Act” that would allow U.S. Government to Strip Americans of Citizenship without evidence or a conviction—is getting Congress to grant U.S. Government (The Executive Branch) the Power to arbitrarily arrest, charge, Indefinitely Detain Americans that participate in 1st Amendment activities (on the premise) that 1st Amendment Activities appeared intended or were used to support or provoke hostilities, combatants, belligerents; terrorism and or threaten National Security.
Is NDAA Retroactive? Can U.S. Government invoke provisions of NDAA to assert a U.S. Citizen’s past writings (protected by the 1st Amendment) supported or aided terrorists, provoked combatants or belligerents as a premise to order an author’s Indefinite Detention? The Defense Authorization Act of 2012 did more than Chill Free Speech—it may FREEZE IT! Consider: In mid-January 2012 Homeland Security announced the National Operations Center (NOC) received permission from Washington to monitor journalists and retain data on users of social media and online networking platforms. In light of (DHS) spying, monitoring U.S. Citizens, millions of Americans will increasingly not attend political meetings, peaceful protests or make comments on the Internet out of fear they might be arrested, lose their job; be put on Homeland Security’s NO Hire List, especially if they work for a government agency or contractor—that happened in Nazi Germany.
Some observers believe NDAA included the vague term “Belligerent” in the manner it did, so U.S. Government would have authority granted by Congress to Indefinitely Detain large numbers of Americans not involved in terrorism. Under NDAA, U.S. Government can deem anyone a “Belligerent” for indefinite detention. The term “Belligerent” is so expansive and vague an American Citizen could be labeled a “Belligerent” for exercising First Amendment Rights—speaking out for or against any issue; protesting a U.S. Government Policy; agency or coalition Partner.
Soon Americans won’t be able to arrange or attend a 1st Amendment protected meeting or other activity e.g., a doctor or business appointment without government/police knowing about it. U.S. Government is on the threshold of having surveillance cameras and drones most everywhere. TSA is expanding its checkpoints on highways, bus and train stops and ports. U.S. Government is actively monitoring without warrants—journalists, U.S. Citizens’ social networks, emails, phone calls, Internet Activity and faxes. One can only guess how much radiation is transmitted into the bodies of Americans by U.S. Government and Police covert scanning (without warrants) private homes—Americans walking on the street; driving vehicles; especially repeated scanning of “Persons of Interests”—potentially damaging their health. Had the Nazi police or Gestapo had X-ray scanners, no doubt the Nazis would have manufactured any reason or no reason to repeatedly x-ray at checkpoints, anywhere—persons the Reich deemed politically or socially undesirable, until either a targeted person was too ill to travel or dead.
Most Americans haven’t awakened to the fact they are subject to an array of recently passed Fascist Laws including The National Defense Authorization Act and perhaps soon—the Enemy Expatriation Act that U.S. Government can unleash against the public. Congress gave U.S. Government the power to arrest and indefinitely detain Americans without probable cause or bringing charges: Detained U.S. Citizens now have no right to an attorney or trial or right to learn the charges against them—if any. If that isn’t Fascism what is?