Authored by Michael Snyder via The American Dream blog,
Many were hoping that once Barack Obama was out of office we would see less of this Big Brother surveillance nonsense, but instead it seems to be getting even worse.
In fact, the Department of Homeland Security has just announced that it intends to compile a comprehensive list of hundreds of thousands of “journalists, editors, correspondents, social media influencers, bloggers etc.”, and collect any “information that could be relevant” about them.
So if you have a website, an important blog or you are just very active on social media, the Department of Homeland Security is going to put you on a list and will start collecting information about you. The DHS has already announced that it will hire a contractor to aid in monitoring media coverage, and they will definitely need plenty of help because it is going to be a very big job…
As part of its “media monitoring,” the DHS seeks to track more than 290,000 global news sources as well as social media in over 100 languages, including Arabic, Chinese and Russian, for instant translation into English. The successful contracting company will have “24/7 access to a password protected, media influencer database, including journalists, editors, correspondents, social media influencers, bloggers etc.” in order to “identify any and all media coverage related to the Department of Homeland Security or a particular event.”
“Any and all media coverage,” as you might imagine, is quite broad and includes “online, print, broadcast, cable, radio, trade and industry publications, local sources, national/international outlets, traditional news sources, and social media.”
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If this sounds extremely creepy to you, that is because it is extremely creepy.
I run several prominent websites including The Most Important News and The Economic Collapse Blog, and so without a doubt I will be on this list. And if I was just a name on a list in some database somewhere, that would be bad enough, but instead it sounds like the DHS will be collecting any “information that could be relevant” about all of us…
As Gizmodo noted, the DHS’ vagueness is also a concern. It leaves itself an opening for collecting “any other information that could be relevant” about these influencers, and there’s no hint as to what that could be.
Is it strictly functional information like work histories, or sensitive data that could be abused? Either way, the database could be troublesome for bloggers and social media stars who aren’t usually under such close government scrutiny.
This is one of the reasons why I wanted to get to Washington. This kind of Orwellian monitoring of our freedoms is unnecessary, it is a colossal waste of taxpayer dollars, and it violates our most basic freedoms.
So why does the Department of Homeland Security need to do this?
The explanation that they are giving the public is extremely week. The following comes from Forbes…
DHS says the “NPPD/OUS [National Protection and Programs Directorate/Office of the Under Secretary] has a critical need to incorporate these functions into their programs in order to better reach Federal, state, local, tribal and private partners.” Who knows what that means, but the document also states the NPPD’s mission is “to protect and enhance the resilience of the nation’s physical and cyberinfrastructure.”
But we are not supposed to ask questions about government programs such as this.
In fact, just a few days ago a Department of Homeland Security representative stated that those that are questioning this program are “tinfoil hat wearing, black helicopter conspiracy theorists“…
If you find yourself skeptical of this proposal of mass state monitoring of the press, consider yourself a bonafide member of the “tinfoil hat wearing, black helicopter conspiracy theorists,” DHS representative Tyler Houlton said Friday. It’s all very routine, he argued, casting the project as an innocent means of “monitoring current events.” Just shut up and let us do this, crackpots.
That kind of response should make all of us very angry.
If the government is going to monitor us and put our information in a database, we should have the right to ask questions.
Freedom of speech is one of our most foundational rights, and many are concerned that “monitoring and tracking” are initial steps that could lead to a significant crackdown on Internet activity. Just check out what is about to happen over in Europe. The Internet has made it possible for ordinary people to communicate with one another on a massive scale, and any efforts by national governments to interfere with that must be greatly resisted.
Unfortunately, it appears that this new Department of Homeland Security program is moving ahead rapidly. In fact, it is being reported that seven different companies have “already expressed interest” in participating…
Seven companies, mainly minority- or women-owned small businesses, have already expressed interest in becoming a vendor for the contract, according to the FedBizOpps web site.
All it takes for evil to flourish is for good men to be nothing. Please spread word about this creepy new surveillance program to everyone that you know, because what they are doing is not right.
First,though of little value talk to your reps. and say you are not in favor of this.Find out the companies providing this service and make em public/along with all their employees,these folks need to be treated like a disease.I say then always use the key words that set off surveillance,here is an example:I am off to PREP dinner while listening to the melodic sounds of ANTHRAX,eh you get the idea.We head in direction Europe is in regards to free speech hope the good hackers(bless them computer nerds)just shut the whole damn thing down!
Funny you should say that.
My mother told my brother who is in the military that she was going to BOMB her house and he flipped out and said they are listening to my calls, you can’t say that, so she had to clarify that she was going to set off a bug bomb hahaha
This paranoia has made most lose their common sense along with their fucking minds!
Greetings,
Back in the late ’90’s, I found myself in Alabama studying explosives ‘n such for Uncle Sam. During our first day of class, a spook came in and told us not to use the internet to look up information on bomb making outside of class because doing so would “put us on the list”. He didn’t go into detail about the list, why the government was keeping it or what was in store for the people on the list but Matrix Agent Smith strongly suggested that the list was automated in nature and the fact that we wore bombs on our lapels and that we were being taught the art as government employees wouldn’t “protect” us.
Well ADMIN, welcome to the new and improved list. It isn’t just for bomb makers anymore.
Whenever I see that phrase “homeland security” I get such a warm /fussie feeling”.
More like the Dept of Motherland security
I think they are more correctly known as the Ministry of Motherland Insecurity.
Nice! I might have to borrow that if you don’t mind.
Quinn is in deep shit. But of course, we’ve known that for a long time. He’ll welcome us at the FEMA Camp.
I won’t be going to a FEMA camp brother. And where I am going, I’m not going alone.
Hell yes I’ll name names! I’m fuckin’ ready! I jus’ wanna be a good ‘muricin!
Ever ask yourself if government agents are hiding their faces with balaclavas, that something might be wrong? Fuck the Brennan’s, the Clapper’s, the Obama’s, the Clinton’s! They’re human excrement.
How could anyone who applies for the job look themselves in the mirror at night? The least they deserve would be to hang by the toenails from the nearest street lamp or telephone pole.
I am pretty much done with my 5,000+ word rejoinder to this piece and, barring any unforeseen circumstances, expect to post it here later this evening or ASAP tomorrow AM.
In the meantime, I call top bunk at FEMA camp.
“It is the absolute right of the State to supervise the formation of public opinion”
Joseph Goebbels
Everything is coming out both private and public. The government has cameras, code breakers and the public has cameras and code breakers so nothing is private or hidden anymore. Except our thoughts if we can keep them in our head.
Once everything is out; and everything will come out, there will be a reckoning. But we are not quite there yet.
Life is riddled with contingencies. This is what is so exciting about it. No one even with the best of information can with certainty predict what the future will be.
And so it seems today that governments are absolute; they are not. In fact the cracks in their inability to control are showing up every day.
So the future is opening up for something different to make it’s appearance.
For some the future will hold opportunity, for some it will seem like hell on earth. For some it will be joy. It really depends on how we think about it and how we have lived our lives.
It is said that in our end the book of life will be opened and our innermost thoughts will be exposed. Isn’t that what the government is trying to do today?
Something to ponder.
I will not be going to any FEMA camp. Personally I’d rather not coexist with the types of souls that see nothing wrong with being employed in any way by the most evil institution ever invented by humankind, the State.
Uncola’s correct, how do they look at themselves in the mirror. I suppose being devoid of any critical thinking abilities certainly helps.
Anyway, I’m 66 and have had a great life, making a great living doing what I love and will do it as long as I’m physically able and the good Lord allows.
However my time ends,
I will be insistent that below my headstone’s name, birth date and date of death will be this final statement; “Free of the State at Last” 🙂
The FEMA camp is gonna get Wolverine’d.
Hopefully I can recruit a young Jennifer Grey and Lea Thompson to help cover my flanks and keep me warm at night.
But but but Q !!!!!!!!!
ROFL
Trust the Plan.
Ever been in the military? Had a security clearance? Got a carry permit? Got a FOID card? Filed a 4473? Own NFA items? Had an FFL? Taken a firearms training class where they run a background check?
Joined NRA, GOA, JPFO, SAF, RMEF, Ducks Unlimited? Bought a gun on Gun Broker, Guns America, etc?
Got a hunting license? A fishing license? Bought a gun with a credit card?
Bought ammo or reloading equipment/components with a card or online?
Bought “survival” food or supplies? Got a solar PV system?
If the answer is yes to any of these, you are probably already on a list, and I haven’t even started listing political affiliation, blogs, posts, and emails yet.
Yes, yes, yes, yes… on my, how many lists am I on?
I would imagine the more flags you get the hire up the list you go…and they be checking their lists twice to find out who has been naughty or nice