Adam Clark Estes
The Atlantic Wire
1/11/2012
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.” Whatever that means. Either way, the list of sites reported by Reuters reveals in a Wednesday afternoon exclusive is pretty intriguing:
Social Networks
- 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
In conclusion, the Department of Homeland Security is just like you. We’ve seen no reports of The Atlantic Wire being on the list. But if we are, hello Department of Homeland Security employees — thanks for reading!
H/T nice deb who has linked to Reuters’ coverage, and writes:
…I added Jihad Watch, Cryptome, and Informed Comment because they were also specifically mentioned in the Reuters article.
DHS confirmed to Reuters the authenticity of the list, but officials authorized to speak for the Department did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.
Glenn Beck, who is bedridden with a back injury, phoned in to his radio show:
Update: Obama launches Bureau of Counterterrorism
President Obama’s State Department announced, during a press briefing today, the creation of the Bureau of Counterterrorism, which will coordinate with United States entities such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and foreign governments to develop civilian counterterrorism strategies and operations.
“The mission of the new bureau will be to lead the [State] Department in the U.S. Government’s effort to counter terrorism abroad and to secure the United States against foreign terrorist threats,” Ambassador Dan Benjamin told reporters. “The bureau will lead in supporting U.S. counterterrorism diplomacy and seek to strengthen homeland security, countering violent extremism, and build the capacity of partner nations to deal effectively with terrorism.”…
Read the whole thing.
