Not sure 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
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
Is the DHS just like you? I've seen no reports of Defenders of Prosperity being on the list. (Though I have been getting more hits from Russia the last 2 months...) But if I am, hello Department of Homeland Security employees -- thanks for reading!
