| Story Views | |
| Now: | |
| Last Hour: | |
| Last 24 Hours: | |
| Total: | |
DHS-Searches Your Facebook & Twitter For “Marijuana” And Other Key Words
Recently released documents reveal that the Department of Homeland Security is keeping tabs on us via our social networks.
According to an internal DHS document released by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), the department and/or a DHS subcontractor is searching social networks like Facebook and Twitter for all kinds of keywords, which are then made into reports about "items of interest" (IOI). The list of terms is HUGE, and according to the blog Animal New York, "the DHS can also add additional search terms circumstantially as deemed necessary." Here are some of the keywords; you can view the full list at Animal New York.
- Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
- Secret Service (USSS)
- Assassination
- Attack
- Domestic security
- Drill
- Exercise
- Cops
- Law enforcement
- Hazmat
- Nuclear
- Chemical Spill
- Airport
- AMTRAK
- Violence
- Gang
- Drug
- Narcotics
- Cocaine
- Marijuana
According to the blog post, the DHS does attempt to strip personally identifiable information (that gets its own acronym too, PII) — unless you fall into one of the following rather broad categories:
1) U.S. and foreign individuals in extremis situations involving potential life or death circumstances; (this is no change)
2) Senior U.S. and foreign government officials who make public statements or provide public updates;
3) U.S. and foreign government spokespersons who make public statements or provide public updates;
ah yes, the government employee who can waste the most time money and resources wins!!!