rawstory.com — WASHINGTON — The US Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking for a tool to mine social media for intelligence tips. The US domestic law enforcement agency is asking information technology contractors about the feasibility of building a tool that would “enhance its techniques for collecting and sharing ‘open source’ actionable intelligence.”
Jan 27, 2012 View in Crawl 4
johndoJan 27, 2012
#BigBrotherIsHere
dachipzJan 27, 2012
He's been here for a long time... he just wants to let us know that, unlike the 'free speech' enjoyed by the corporations that select our government and dictate its actions, ours will be monitored.
leatherpancakeJan 27, 2012
Big brother isn't just the government, its also private corporations who supply social networking services. You don't think Facebook has its own team of experts watching and analyzing? Facebook was started with venture capital that is linked to DARPA. To say there is no influence there is just ridiculous.
novenatorJan 28, 2012Submitter
TIL: DARPA - Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
briancomptonJan 27, 2012
Ugh! This article is disinformation. These systems ALREADY EXIST AND FUNCTION.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echelon_%28signals_intelligence%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivore_%28software%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_Awareness_Office
So just keep typing. Drown the system. Everything we all have been doing is already in a database. Some might want to find ways to encrypt sensitive info.
Schweppesale2Jan 27, 2012
Hey, remember this guy?
http://mashable.com/2011/05/02/julian-assange-facebook-spy-machine/
brucealmightyJan 27, 2012
The FBI has been struggling to join the world of computers for ages. They are currently $450 million and over 4 years late on completing a system upgrade that was started MANY years even earlier than that. It's been a fiasco. Meanwhile they are still living in a ragtag world of 286s and the like. No need to lose any sleep over the FBI and their information technology for at least the next few months and more likely for the next few years ---
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/24/fbi-computer-upgrade_n_1168817.html
briancomptonJan 28, 2012
wow. so, because the internal office computers might be crap in some places, we are supposed to believe that they have no real data-mining ability? Besides, Who thinks the only operating intel agency is the FBI? Ever heard of the NSA? The ONI? The DHS? The... well damn, just look for yourself: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Intelligence_Community
ajh16Jan 27, 2012
Better headline... FBI seeks system to help browse publicly available information to look for actionable intelligence that might otherwise slip through the cracks.
This is no different from any other time in history when open communication channels have been monitored by law enforcement. If you put the information out their publicly, in searchable form, why shouldn't they look through it? This is no different than patrolling city streets. Plenty of illegal activity goes on in plain view on the Internet and this would be a valuable tool for trying to track it down. Not to pull a "think of the children", but that is at least one blatant case where something like this could be invaluable since it would be able to detect people that appear to be older having relationships with many children and look for things that show maybe more attention should be given to the situation.
So long as they don't start trying to use the same system to look at private data, I don't see where there is a problem. Public info is public.
number4940Jan 28, 2012
Agree with you. That is their job, unfortunately for the ones who post online everything regarding their personal lives without discretion. At the same time, it's my belief that anything going through a wire or via wireless frequencies is 'public' because it isn't in my ability to keep it 100% private. They only try to not get caught; they don't stay within 'the law' because it only applies to us.
BoastingBizzJan 27, 2012
If this is going to help the country remain safer from terrorists from abroad or home than I'm all for it. The internet is fun & dandy but what people fail to realize is that there is a very ugly side, dark side of it as well.
crashdvisJan 27, 2012
Then be an adult and don't go to the dark sides if you don't want to. Why do we need to be monitored? Will you be upset when the government gets to decide what is considered to be a dark side?
crashdvisJan 27, 2012
How can this be when Democrats are in control? I thought they were for freedom and free thought and expression? It can't be that they support bigger government, more controls, less freedom, and controlled expression can it?
briancomptonJan 28, 2012
LOL! @ 2 Party System. Repulicrats and Demicants. Flipsides of the Corporate coin. Wake up ppl.
laurahoustonJan 27, 2012
FBI, it's called "SEARCH"
k9000Jan 27, 2012
these are things that they tell you so that you feel like you have a say so. so that you feel up to date on current events. so that you are, "in the know".
think about the stuff they don't tell you. the stuff that is already being done.
freeformjazzJan 27, 2012
I am so sick of these assh**es. I realize we are always one generation away from liberty being left in the dust of the ages. Lately, though it seems as if we are having to fight week to week to preserve a continually shrinking pool of liberties.
D1gst1llsuxJan 27, 2012
Kind of makes you wonder... we kill SOPA and PIPA and now this crap, when will they f**king learn.
dachipzJan 27, 2012
SOPA and PIPA aren't dead, just wounded, and they will be back with a vengeance. The question is, "when will we ever learn"?
Schweppesale2Jan 27, 2012
Whoops - missed one:
http://digg.com/news/politics/us_signs_onto_acta_no_congressional_approval_required
D1gst1llsuxJan 28, 2012
No didn't miss it. I just didn't include it, however ACTA is far, far worse than either of the other 2. And most importantly the public has been exlcuded from this discussion, which makes me wonder about it's constitutionality.
jaguartJan 28, 2012
You better hope they don't learn.
cmlacandazoJan 27, 2012
Very scary indeed. They shutter up the internet, step by step...
BoastingBizzJan 27, 2012
It does seem that way...
barackalypseJan 27, 2012
@Ackmed: Time to detonate self but plane Captain hasn't turned off fasten seat belt light yet #terroristproblems
skinturtleJan 27, 2012
Well...as you can see..now it's not a matter of when big brother is going to arrive...it's here and has been for a little while.
pabloz1Jan 27, 2012
People just need to leave Social Media. But the stupid f**king sheep won't do it. You get what you deserve.
breadfredJan 28, 2012
Digg is a social media platform as well....
dailydose4meJan 27, 2012
How about a Big Boss reality show on Social Media, now that we have the "technology" now.
r0g3rJan 27, 2012
This makes me fear to speak about politics online, simply because the search terms for politics and terrorism must be VERY similar. I guess that's the real intended effect
tjtapishJan 27, 2012
thank God I don't live on american land
breadfredJan 28, 2012
uhh... I hope you realize that they are already monitoring all internet traffic, including emails?
tjtapishFeb 2, 2012
that is for security purpose I guess!
mahesh54321Jan 27, 2012
its great !
blacklilyninjaJan 27, 2012
you have officially become the USSR.
kathrinukJan 27, 2012
good one!!!
anomaly100Jan 27, 2012
No, bad one.
alison30204999Jan 27, 2012
just plain stupid
mamonemJan 27, 2012
great........
number4940Jan 28, 2012
This is exactly what I would like to build. I'll let them all know when I have a better idea of the full scope and purpose of any project I uptake, and we can talk business. Puh-leeze. D.C. already must have tools like these, and why would they publicly post help wanted ads? Really.
aryalinggaJan 27, 2012
everybody's watched, we just need to be careful in everything we do..
:)
http://vteyna.blogspot.com/2012/01/acer-aspire-as5749z-4809-156-inch.html
zbeastJan 27, 2012
I did some work for a "lawful intercept" company...
I still feel dirty from the experience but the money was good.
you can buy a lot of soap with that..
ss8.com
zbeastJan 27, 2012
They need a monitoring tool?. that would be facebook..
I love how every website is trying to get you to login using Facebook and then try's to take what you posted on one site and then places that data on Facebook.