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US 'invents' software to track press
theinquirer.net — A GROUP of US universities, backed with Homeland Security Department cash, is developing software that could let a government monitor negative opinions of the United States or its leaders.
chrisek- 470 diggs
- digg it
- bcsam, on 10/12/2007, -6/+12well thats not good...
sooo if you write too many negative stories you go on some watch list?- honds, on 10/12/2007, -3/+16Did you guys even read the part that says:
"Apparently the software ___ignores the home press___, which Homeland Security does not believe is a threat to the Government."
(I added the ___s ) - Tawni, on 10/12/2007, -5/+8As if we are not all on enough watch lists.
*Passes out tin foil for the hat party* - MobbyG, on 10/12/2007, -4/+12"Apparently the software ignores the home press, which Homeland Security does not believe is a threat to the Government."
Yeah but who wants to bet there is a flag in the config file something like....
;Watchhomelandpress
Take that semicolon out and welcome to "Amerika"! Is it me or does it seem like more and more a police state mentality is coming out? - Cytranic, on 10/12/2007, -1/+22I wonder how much this modified RSS feeder cost the American Tax payers...
- pbarnes7, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Better to read the original article from the NY Times instead of The Inquirer piece, which is little more than a digger might write (since we're not pros).
For example, the original quoted an official from Homeland Security as saying they don't intend to use it on US news sources, however the sample articles they're teaching their linguistic engine from *does* include US news articles. Does that strike anyone as a contradiction?
Cost? A cool $2.4 million of our tax dollars. Do you feel safer already?
The original included this great quotation:
"'It is just creepy and Orwellian,' said Lucy Dalglish, a lawyer and former editor who is executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press."
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/04/us/04monitor.html?ex=1317614400&en=f56ed0a299bbe0f2&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss - Symblized, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9Why is this "not good" by definition? I think it's interesting technology. The problem is all in the use, not in the technology itself. There are several ways an Administration could use this to its advantage. Intelligence about public opinion around the world is important for understanding what other cultures and societies think of us. Whether it's used to actually shape policy and diplomacy or just to bolster propoganda techniques, that's the rub.
- Homunculiheaded, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6This article is somewhat skewing the actual use of this software. This is all part of what is called 'open source intelligence' which all about gathering valuable information from open, public information (read: NOT wire tapping). The idea is NOT to monitor the discontent of US citizens and put dissidents on a list or anything paranoid like that. It is to look for patterns that indicate regional instabilities. It's a way of actually becoming more aware of international social issues and happenings.
- DaffyDuck, on 10/12/2007, -6/+3Ummm....
http://www.digg.com/tech_news/Software_Being_Developed_to_Monitor_Opinions_of_U_S
http://www.digg.com/programming/Digg_users_are_dumber_than_goldfish
Draw your own conclusions. - VolatileWhimsy, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Its something that is already being done, instead of using software we are using people. well us and every other country.. So it is nothing new and nothing just dealing with the US.
- PowerCow, on 10/12/2007, -5/+2Draw your own conclusions.
UM ok, you are an annnoying little dupe cop.
most uses miss a majority of the stories on digg and it is much more annoying you people crying dupe than me scrollign past a story i already saw.
DO you ever wonder why you get dugg down soooo much...
ENough you are a bigger problem than dupes ever were and the article about goldfish was the stupidest whine i have ever read. - GlargTheKelfn, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1you don't go on the list, if you are critical, you 'break your allegiance to the president', which equals instant terrorist, do not pass go, do not have rights.
hooray for fascism. - mrops, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1In related News,
Google reports that a robot keeps searching google news with the exact same keywords every min, the IP address belongs to the US goverment. - deleteYourslf, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1No, you immediately become classified as an enemy combatant and get thrown in jail without due process. This country isn't going down the *****, it's already in the sewage main.
- honds, on 10/12/2007, -3/+16Did you guys even read the part that says:
- joel2600, on 10/12/2007, -13/+6monitor this: the US GOVERNMENT SUCKS FOR SUPPORTING ANYTHING LIKE THIS
- zigamorph, on 10/12/2007, -6/+6What is Google called when they do this exact same thing. If you read all they are doing is cataloging FOREIGN news and looking for patterns. Same thing Google does, same thing MSN does, same thing Yahoo does. This is how all these companies bring relavent news to you, that they think you will like on an individual basis.
Google does this on their news site. They track what you look at, compare the current article against other articles and give you suggestions. The US government will compare FOREIGN news against other foreign news and look for patterns.
You guys are freaking out over the thought of free and open news getting analized on an in depth basis. Why is this?
Oh yeah I know why you just don't like Bush. - shuffle, on 10/12/2007, -6/+8Uh, well, for starters how 'bout because Google can't imprison you or wiretapp your phone without just cause like the US Government can?
Comparing the two is laughable.
- zigamorph, on 10/12/2007, -6/+6What is Google called when they do this exact same thing. If you read all they are doing is cataloging FOREIGN news and looking for patterns. Same thing Google does, same thing MSN does, same thing Yahoo does. This is how all these companies bring relavent news to you, that they think you will like on an individual basis.
- monergism, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3FTFA "This is pretty important as a cruise missile could be winging its way to Sofia as we speak."
Monitoring and retaliation are very different.
For those who fear, educate yourselves.
FTFDoI "But when a long train of abuses and usurpations...it [our] is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security." - sonofagunn, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4... or they could just subscribe to an existing marketing service for something like this. BuzzMetrics is one example. I'm not sure if they're international though.
- TheEditor1, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2Ok, now was are using a tabloid for news on digg.
- Tawni, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4The inquirer is not the enquirer
- mancat, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4But it's really not much better.
- TheEditor1, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2@mancat
My thoughts exactly. One is no better than the other.
@Tawni
Duh, no ***** sherlock. - strictnein, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@Tawni
The Inquirer is basically a tech tabloid. I would hope no one thinks that what is written it has any semblance of the truth.
- Anth, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5They probably do this now - they just dont have a piece of software to do this automatically. The PR folk know who write negative stories and who will just copy what they say and publish it without any critical analysis.
- xGORDOx, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Hopefully it will be used to track wether or not a story is true or not.
Recent ABC news and Reuters mess ups have been pretty bad.
Photoshop anyone? - sp1r1t, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3Did they not do this in communistic societies back in the days? And still today? Hello United States of Communism.
- milnesy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I wouldn't associate this with communism, this is just a way to guage the popularity of our country with the rest of the world. Wouldn't you want to know who agrees with your policies and who doesn't and then see who's bad mouthing you?
- xGORDOx, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2Well, if the Dems get power it will be the U.S. of Socialism anyways.
Whats the difference?
There is none, they both are the same and you're all idiots if you think differently.
"if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" was realized in American politics a looooooong time ago. - Murdats, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5I can tell you who dislikes your country and who is bad mouthing it
->everyone - evolver, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2Try "The Fascist States of America". Has a better ring to it and is more accurate. Welcome to the FSA.:D USC sounds like University of Southern California. Not only that but the Bush administration is not trying to change the economic system, just methods of controlling the people in it. Not quite the same thing. Communism doesn't necessarily mean strict control of media content (although most places attempting to use Communism forms of government use Fascist methods). Communism as a social-economic system will never be supported in the USA (soon to be known as something else...The Bush empire?). The Bush Administration is using Fascist techniques (which is worse) to fulfill its political agenda. Fascism is often associated with "attempts to impose state control over all aspects of life: political, social, cultural, and economic; in the examples given, by way of a strong, single-party government for enacting laws and a strong, sometimes brutal militia or police force for enforcing them." This has the Bush Administration actions all over it. To those who don't support these actions, write to your congressperson and senators and any other government official. Elections are coming up. Perfect opportunity to try to change things within the system before the Bush administration weakens the public's ability to have a voice.
- milnesy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Don't you think that there are other countries that do this as well? How 'bout China, North Korea, even Russia? I would even venture to bet that other countries like France or Great Britain have something like this. It's just not public knowledge.
Personally, I don't think it's a problem.- noahhoward, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2If they don't already have some system you can bet they've wanted something like it for decades.
I'd agree with you that this really isn't a problem. - takamalak, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Yeah, because we're no better than China, NK, or Russia.
- noahhoward, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2If they don't already have some system you can bet they've wanted something like it for decades.
- hackershandbook, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6I thought they'd already developed various pieces of software to track what people were saying anyhow - called "digg", "technorati" and "tailrank" ...
- sockpuppets, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2This was on the homepage yesterday.
- airencracken, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7SkyNet is coming online...
- nofrak1, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3As I said when this was dugg yesterday: They're just automating the process of what they do already. Why does everybody think the government has to walk around with it's eyes closed? If we start seeing reporters disapear, that's one thing, but we won't, because we don't live in the police state you idiots like to think we do.
- Sandtiger, on 10/12/2007, -4/+8Welcome to Nazi Germany reborn in the 21st century. I'm waiting for the brown-shirts and jackboots to be issued.
For those that say "shouldn't the government know when people write about them" I have one thing to say: THEY ALREADY KNOW. Its called a publication. Free Press? Ever hear of it? This is another chilling effect at attempting to intimidate the press and the ability of individuals to speak their opinions. Since when is individual and press opinion something the government needs to monitor for "terrorism"? If you believe that then you might as well go ahead and burn everything our country was based on. By doing that you insult every person that has died defending these principles since the very day America was founded.
When you look at the past 8 yrs it's hard to miss the trend here. Every few weeks/months its a little step here, a little change there, all leading towards a goal. If you don't see it your one of those blind sheep that politicians love to take advantage of.
Open up your eyes and start thinking about what you read instead of just blindly accepting everything you see as the "truth".
And just for the record (and those party zealots that love to bash DIGG political articles) I am a register Republican in my district. I am not what the GOP calls a "bleeding heart liberal." I am an INTELLECTUAL. And also for the record I am reconsidering my political affiliation after these past 8 years.- noahhoward, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5They've been doing this for decades by providing fundig to pro-us media outlets and repealing it when something they really dont like gets said. How is this different?
- frankinla, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Sandtiger: "Open up your eyes and start thinking about what you read instead of just blindly accepting everything you see as the "truth". "
True to a point, I would like to modify it to read " .... accepting everything you see from one side as the truth and everything from the other side as lies. Cause if you do, the truth isn't somewhere in the middle, but way, way above your head!" - Sandtiger, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1frankinla you get the prize...Thats exactly what I was getting at. I just didn't spell it out completely.
- sockpuppets, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5I already invented this algorithm long ago.
http://www.googlefight.com/index.php?lang=en_GB&word1=george+bush+sucks&word2=george+bush+rocks - flink405, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This type service has been available for years and years and years; its called LexisNexis
Search thousands of premium legal, news, public records and business information sources; manage your practice, cases, and matters, win new clients, ...
www.lexisnexis.com/- jknevitt, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1How much did LexisNexis pay you for that plug? :)
- DrSkrud, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Uhm.... http://news.google.com ?
- jamthedude, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3This is extremely naive - as if the government can't monitor negative/positive stories already - all it takes is internet access, excel and feeds from the various newspapers. I'm sure its already done - I'm sure the government already has all the news outlets ranked based on their treatment of the government's policies, as well as the individual "reporters" it can always go to for trusted, positive publicity.
- nofrak1, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4And there goes the Nazi reference. If the Gov't was that scarey, you wouldn't be able to call them nazis with an identifiable screen name, now would you?
- Sandtiger, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Don't worry I'm sure that post will be flagged somewhere and I'm sure it will probably come to bite me in the butt when I travel internationally soon. If not now stuff like this forum will be monitored soon as part of this program.
- alrahman, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2There goes the freedom of press or opposition.....
- VolatileWhimsy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Seriously people you obviously don't know that it has already been going on.. Which it stated in the article itself.. Nor is the US the only country doing it.. Every other country does it.. They are just saying they are going to use software instead of people... Which will probably save us money...
where is that damned dull pencil so i can stab my eyes...
Uhmm next time read the whole thing instead of being just plain silly.. - littlebylittle, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Have they built the ovens yet?
- VolatileWhimsy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Don't know but I think they were looking for you so they could try it... Try china though :/
- warbird, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Marked as lame... by accident. How do I undo that? Can't find a unburry option...
- musntSurfatWork, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I could do this free with MS Paint: Select fill tool, Select the red color, Click in each continent outline.
- thomn8r, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1lynx -dump -traversal aljazeera.net | egrep -i "bush|cheney|america|iraq" | mailx -s "Terror Alert" neocons@whitehouse.gov
Please send PayPal payment to... - ShyGuy91284, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Not used on US press? Suuuure..... Even if they kept their "promise" and didn't use it on the US, if this is open source software, or even if it isn't and someone else will decide to make something similar, I would think many corporations would have great use of this software. The press is powerful, and can influence the buying decisions of wise consumers who research a lot. I just look at it as another form of data mining.
- toasty168, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Why don't they just spit on the Constitution? And the sad thing is it's our tax dollars that are paying for this. We're paying to have our Constitutional Rights removed one by one. This is ***** ridiculous. Who comes up with this *****? It's obvious it's unconstitutional or at the very least, goes against the spirit upon which this country was founded.
And for those who still believe in Bush's terrorism *****:
"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. "
Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759
Instead of trying to defeat an abstract enemy such as "terrorism" we should be trying to fix the reasons people hate the US. Despite what Bush says, "terrorists" don't hate us because we live in freedom. They hate us because Bush is an ***** who supports the destruction of entire countries based on lies. How the hell would you feel if some country came in and basically brought your country back to the stone age? Not to mention the big question of why the ***** do we give Israel so much ***** money and weapons??? That's another reason they hate us. - neobchod, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0PROMIS anyone?
- lesskiller, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2For the record, I have negative opinions of our current leaders.
I'm glad I got that off my chest. - ishmal, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I am not surprised by the comments. But I AM surprised that people know so little of world history. Almost every nation on Earth has its Foreign Ministry/Department of State perform reviews of the world press on a daily basis. And they have been doing it for centuries. This is nothing new, nor is the concept of software doing it instead of humans.
There was even a movie about it in the 70's, if anyone remembers it: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073802/ - hitkaiser, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It's good from a knowledge manage point of view.
In the information age a lot of information is produced... but it isn't assimilated by as many people as it could, with technology that summarises content and meaning, the message that the original content was supposed to deliver can be finally delivered in a much more efficient manner!
As always, the real danger with such technologies is missue, so above all, transparency and goodwill are key for its sucess. - 5blocksfree, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I'm not sure what the big deal is...other than more wasted money. Even if there are other countries that have a negative opinion of the US...(like that could ever happen), so what? Is Dub going to call someone and complain? More than likely he'll sit there and wet himself, because there's nothing he can do about it.
HOWEVER...if this software experiences the typical "use-creep* that we've seen from this administration, expect it to be used for to monitor US publications. That's an entirely different matter, and it teeters dangerously on stifling rights guaranteed by the 1st Amendment. - LAhazmat, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1My American friends living in France (Bush Refugees) told me about this during my last visit and I didn't beleave them!
I'd say we vote these guys out of office but they have the DIEBOLD folks in their pocket!
Any ideas other than bail?
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