FBI Releases Plans To Monitor Social Networks

New Scientist:

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has quietly released details of plans to continuously monitor the global output of Facebook, Twitter and other social networks, offering a rare glimpse into an activity that the FBI and other government agencies are reluctant to discuss publicly. The plans show that the bureau believes it can use information pulled from social media sites to better respond to crises, and maybe even to foresee them.

Read the whole story: New Scientist

Comments

[sleepyguy510]

07:02 PM on 01/28/2012

Two things, for the most part the feds will be wasting time watching people wasting time. Secondly, who do they think they are kidding, they've been watching all of us since GW Bush made it fashionable.

[Esther21072011]

12:41 PM on 01/27/2012

Hey iamwired:

I'm eating lunch - gotta keep up strength on a sick day - but have to ask - just what is it you do for a living?

I'm an analyst in not-for-profit healthcare. I do data mining and analysis for a living. Not FB and Twitter of course - 'private' medical records. I have a staff that collects some data - then I mine huge databases of related medical records on those people - extract what I want - and analyze to provide data and direction to my employer - which is $4 billion a year company.

Oh - and now go ahead and tell me how your medical records are 'private and secure' because a piece of paper says so :)

[beherenow54]

05:55 PM on 01/27/2012

My health insurance company is a not-for-profit company and when I signed up I did not accept terms that would allow my medical records to be kept electronically. I freely admit that I can't find "Iamwired" comment that you're replying to. But, If you're talking about HIPA laws, and consent has not been given to electronically store medical records or to have you rummaging through them, then your data mining of any information in my records would be illegal, correct?

I would think that the only time you'd be able to do that is to provide info on a potential healthcare customer when they're applying for coverage. What exactly are you mining, and for what reason?

[anthonytaurus]

12:29 PM on 01/27/2012

I figure they'd be stupid not to monitor social networking to some degree. My question is, how invasive is it. If we're talking about them monitoring the crap that's already there, I think they should have been doing that from day 1. In fact, since we now know that they are monitoring for sure, send them a quick message. I said, hey FBI, tell the DEA marijuana needs to be descheduled. On the other hand, if they were able to hack my DMs, then that's a different issue because I just 8 pounds of marijuana thru twitter the other day... just kidding.. maybe.. gonna go toke up a lil something.. *waiting*

[Pamasaurus]

12:11 PM on 01/27/2012

United states of Arabia.
We're heading as fast as sheikly possible to a state of islam. we're censored. we're told to not use drugs. religion has become a point of division inside our borders. banking has become centrally controlled by 1% of the population.
Just how are we any different than the Arabian countries?
Oh! we can use sex to sell a product, genius!

[anthonytaurus]

12:24 PM on 01/27/2012

I hope the chicks don't get any hairier... *sigh*

[iamwired]

12:37 PM on 01/27/2012

Dibs on the oil.

[threewarveteran]

11:55 AM on 01/27/2012

If you and I can both see it, it is not private.

Maybe all the people who are affected by this should have read that pesky little "accept these terms" part of your sign-up. Should have been thinking with the big head on this on.

[Esther21072011]

12:09 PM on 01/27/2012

That requires them to use both brain cells and personal responsibility. I've been on the net since it was a bunch of billboard systems and used "Internet In A Box" and a 9600 baud modem to get on it - and I *always* knew that nothing you put online was ever secure. Common sense is lacking in the world these days.

[ThinkinPerson]

11:41 AM on 01/27/2012

And, what will the FBI allow of people trying to sort through their views and points of view? Now that FB has timeline from birth....what, will someone be indefinitely detained if they have one belief one week?

This is an expensive slippery slope. Its mind and thought police, something I never thought we'd see in this country.

This emboldens me to make sure all my thoughts and opinions are on social networks so its clear what I believe.....today.

Or to stop using social media at all....then how will the FBI know what I felt on day X at time X....let's just hope I am not PMSing because I can be real bit--y on those days. Some times even emotional. Then, what will my file say? What about on the days after when I don't post at all?

Now, people will start using social media to send messages to the FBI.

Thanks for making the internet a weapon. Lovely.

Does a social network snapshot tell u who I am?

[QuintinJordon]

11:36 AM on 01/27/2012

Like no one knew of this - it is the same reason that many in Roman government accepted confessionals in the churches as Catholicism took over the pagan beliefs. It was a great way to find out the will of the people, by having the priest report back what they heard in those confessionals, and it allowed the government of Rome a way to know who the radicals were and if they were plotting against the government - nothing new here. . . just move on and tell the govt. to SUCK IT.

[ThinkinPerson]

11:36 AM on 01/27/2012

I don't want my tax dollars spent on this crap! Honestly, since Bush came in, and even under Obama now recently, you can hear the monitors on the phone, I can tell when my posts are held up...WE CAN HEAR U ON THE PHONE! And, why?

THE FBI needs to be monitored to ensure compliance....oh what's the point. Like anyone cares.

Why do u need to monitor anything? Occupy the streets clear about what the people want, and yet, the sneaking around? After the NDAA passed????

Our country may profess freedom but when ALEC corporation can have reporters thrown out of private establishment by renta cops, the whole movement to treat people as suspect is a horrible step down the same road.

I am deeply disappointed in my country for the violence perpetrated on the public for Peaceful Protest.

Wait, let me make sure to repost this on all my social networks.

[Esther21072011]

11:41 AM on 01/27/2012

I think Walmart is having a sale on tinfoil you'd be interested in.........

[threewarveteran]

12:44 PM on 01/27/2012

The function of your government is to protect all 311million citizens.

You are one voice who disagrees. Like anyone cares.
\

[beherenow54]

06:00 PM on 01/27/2012

And I'm another, and so are the outnumbering voices on this thread that also agree that this is outrageous. Your comment is ignorant, and yes, people do care about freedom in this country, even if you don't. The function of the government is to protect it's citizens, not to enslave them, monitor their every move and treat them like terrorists. When that happens, it's the government itself that has become the terrorist. That's happening right now. Keep your head in the sand, and while you do be thankful that someone besides you decided to be informed, and care.

[FBatRNC]

11:26 AM on 01/27/2012

All of the Alphabet agencies have been data mining every major social networking site since their inception.

[Esther21072011]

11:35 AM on 01/27/2012

BINGO!

And every country on earth with the capability to do so has been doing it.

[FBatRNC]

11:50 AM on 01/27/2012

I wouldn't be surprised if they gave seed money to FB, TWiT er, MySp etc, unbeknownst to the owners of course.

[Kritikos]

11:17 AM on 01/27/2012

Fits............,as it has from the beginning;............. they're already Face Book Investigators.

[beerbagger]

11:03 AM on 01/27/2012

They really do care... I'll be sure to add them as friends and poke 'em from time to time.

[iamwired]

11:08 AM on 01/27/2012

I'm going to flood them with Farmville invites

[zlohcuc]

10:56 AM on 01/27/2012

Puleeese...like they were not doing so already...hold on...someone's at the door....

[Cael]

10:56 AM on 01/27/2012

The real problem here is they don't just trample on the rights of Americans they trample on the rights of people they have no jurisdiction and have no right to spy on us.

Another reason to hate American and their arrogance.

[Esther21072011]

10:58 AM on 01/27/2012

You need a bit of education - do you think that the rest of the world is not doing this? The Russians and Chinese have been doing this a long long time. Grow up. Get over your bias against America and educate yourself.

[AlaskanWannaB]

11:12 AM on 01/27/2012

You are spot on!!!

[RockaBach]

11:30 AM on 01/27/2012

I find it interesting that you use Russia and China as examples of what those repressive governments have been doing to justify our use of the same practices. Those countries aren't exactly champions of human or civil rights. God Bless America...while we still have the choice to do so or not.

[Progressneeded]

10:55 AM on 01/27/2012

Why don't they put an agent in every house? That will probably be the next step.

[iamwired]

11:00 AM on 01/27/2012

Why is there a sedan parked outside my house?

[Progressneeded]

09:06 PM on 01/27/2012

I wonder if they can smell our f@rts too? It will tell them a lot about what we have been eating.

[wa0cal]

10:54 AM on 01/27/2012

Just another way to take away another of our freedoms.

[Esther21072011]

10:59 AM on 01/27/2012

What freedom did you lose? There is no expectation of privacy for something you post on the internet - never was.

[iamwired]

11:02 AM on 01/27/2012

Esther, I think you need to read FB and other online services' EULAs a little more carefully. At least do some basic reading before posting.

[AlaskanWannaB]

11:13 AM on 01/27/2012

You're very smart....F&F.