Lawmakers raise privacy concerns as DHS crafts social media monitoring program

Members of Congress are pressing the Department of Homeland Security to provide more information about a controversial social-media monitoring program, citing "privacy and civil liberties concerns." The lawmakers, the Republican and Democratic heads of a House counterterrorism panel, expressed support for the goal of the program, calling social media a "crucial source" of intelligence around the world. They said in a letter last month that it is "advantageous" for DHS to draw out information to "identify current or emerging threats to our homeland security." But they also urged the department to "be mindful of the rights" of citizens to "express themselves online." "Although there are clear advantages to monitoring social media to identify possible threats to our security, there are also privacy and civil liberties concerns implicit in this activity," wrote Rep. Patrick Meehan, R-Pa., chairman of the House Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, and Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., ranking Democrat on the panel. Next http://politics.foxnews.mobi/quickPage.html?page=23888&external=1279434.proteus.fma

Why is the DHS collecting information on journalists & social network users ???

A disturbing story has surfaced about the Department of Homeland security that under the National Operations Center’s Media Monitoring Initiative, government can retain data on users of social media and journalists for a period of several years. Not much detail has been provided as to why they would need to monitor and collect personal information except for saying it would help agencies in their response to events such as the earthquake in Haiti. Not sure how those are related – which makes it all the more disturbing. Glenn returned to the air (via the phone) to discuss the disturbing story with Pat and Stu.

The Atlantic Wire reports:

It’s unclear exactly why, but the Department of Homeland has been operating a “Social Networking/Media Capability” program to monitor the top blogs, forums and social networks online for at least the past 18 months. Based on a privacy compliance review from last November recently obtained by Reuters, the purpose of the project is to “collect information used in providing situational awareness and establishing a common operating picture.”

Among the sites under surveillance? Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Drudge Report, Huffington Post, YouTube, and more.

“We talked about the president now watching journalists, and just seeing the headline that was on the Drudge Report last night ‑‑ I don’t know if it’s still there ‑‑ that just said, ‘Drudge Report being watched, information being taken’, is frightening. It should frighten everybody,” Glenn said.

“What is it they’re collecting? Why is it that no journalist is asking this question?” he wondered.

“I’d be flipping out if George Bush was doing this. I’d be flipping out if Ronald Reagan were doing this,” he added.

Glenn also referenced a story out that the President was also collecting information about journalists.



Pat read, “Well, according to the DHS, the definition of ‘personal identifiable information’ can consists ‑ and that’s what they are gathering on these journalists – can consist of any information of any intellect that, quote, permits the identity of an individual to be directly or indirectly inferred, including any information which is linked or linkable to that individual. Wow!”

“All this administration is interested in is how to intimidate people,” Glenn said.

Glenn warned that this could be the administration and the government trying to keep journalists and people all over quiet and intimidated. Glenn warned that people who don’t question this are falling into a trap wherein they think they’ll be left alone as long as they “play the game”.

“Everyone is trying to play the game,” Glenn warned.

Social Networks

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Myspace

Blogs

• The Drudge Report
• The Huffington Post
• The New York Times's Lede blog
• Wired's Threat Level
• Wired's Danger Room
• ABC News' investigative blog The Blotter
• "blogs that cover bird flu … news and activity along U.S. borders … drug trafficking and cybercrime"

Multimedia

• Hulu
• YouTube
• Flickr