Blog-Tracking May Gain Ground Among U.S. Intelligence Officials

[baldguy]

snip

Some blogs are whimsical and deal with "soft" subjects. Others, though, are cutting edge in delivering information and opinion.

As a result, some analysts say U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials might be starting to track blogs for important bits of information. This interest is a sign of how far Web media such as blogs have come in reshaping the data-collection habits of intelligence professionals and others, even with the knowledge that the accuracy of what's reported in some blogs is questionable.

more:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1471&ncid=1471&e=4&u=/ibd/20040427/bs_ibd_ibd/2004427tech

[Hornito]

1. Dollars to donuts it's already being done.....

n/t

[Earth_First]

2. CENSORED

X XXXX XXX XXXX XXX XXXXX XXXXXX XX XXXXXXX would be XXXXXXXXX soon enough...

eom

[NMDemDist2]

3. oh crap does that mean they are reading my emails to river?

<sigh> I better pray the goverment doesn't invest in jack boots any time soon or my front door may be the worse for it.

[jdj]

4. me too.

[Zhade]

15. I've written a few times to Raed and his mom, as well as Riverbend.

Raed (http://raedinthemiddle.blogspot.com for those who don't know of him - he's a brilliant guy) responds to email, which is excellent for trading information. I told him a little about black box voting here in the U.S., and the info kind of shocked him. He wasn't even sure it was real at first, but I had to tell him that sadly it is very real. I get the impression that many Iraqis thought (and still think, to an extent) that our democracy is more robust than it actually is.

If the fascists are reading any of those emails - or my posts here, actually - then I'm screwed, too.

We'll have to watch each other's backs in Gitmo, I suppose.

[genius]

5. I wonder if they already watching the DU

Bush is probably planning a martial law offensive after the next rigged election.

[Earth_First]

6. I wonder this from time to time...

It wouldn't surprise me in the least...

[Eye and Monkey]

10. Teen's Art Class Anti - War Sketches Bring Secret Service Visit

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/politics/politics-security-student.html

Filed at 9:21 p.m. ET

PROSSER, Washington (Reuters) - Secret Service agents questioned a 15-year-old Washington State art student after teachers reported he drew violent anti-Iraq war pictures, some depicting President Bush, school officials said on Tuesday.

Officials at Prosser High School in rural southern Washington said the sketches showed ``guns, violence, and death,'' prompting a call to police and ultimately the Secret Service, even though the boy received only minor discipline at school.

A local newspaper quoted a friend of the boy as saying one picture showed a Middle Eastern looking man holding a stick with an enlarged head of President Bush on it.

The drawings ``weren't following the expectations of the teacher,'' school Principal Kevin Lusk told Reuters. Officials at the school, which has a reputation for strict discipline, were concerned that the student could turn violent or pose a threat to the president.

[lapfog_1]

13. watching DU

you've got to be kidding... OF COURSE they are watching DU.

Do you think Wellstone died in a tragic accident?

Do you think that Anthrax was sent to "liberal" media and senate
members at random?

Do you think that more than a dozen of the top 50 or so top
microbiologists have "died" in the last 12 months by coincidence?

These guys are nasty and they play for keeps.

[The Sushi Bandit]

7. I dare them to read my blog!!

thats why I have a link to it on all my DU posts!

[Miss Authoritiva]

8. Not to get too Dale Gribble-ly about it, but

I just assumed they already were. Wherever there's a monitor, a mirror, or a lens, I always assume there's a pair of eyeballs on the other side. And for cables and phone lines, just substitute ears for eyeballs -- that sounds weird, but you know what I mean.

Gathering data and info this way is almost too easy; they'll wind up with a huge pile of digital compost. What good is it all if it's not interpreted, or it's interpreted incorrectly, or it's interpreted correctly but nobody considers it actionable intelligence?

[ConcernedCanuk]

9. My bet says they have hundreds if not thousands of people

.
.
.

already doing just that.

AND

it's probably "outsourced" for "security" reasons!

not to difficult to go through web pages searching for keywords like "junior", "king george" iraq and so on

and there's alot of forums that unlike DU y don't even have to be a member to use their "search" function.

I am SOOOOOOO glad to be on this side of the border.

But it's still too close for comfort

(sigh)

[leesa]

11. Why don't these "intelligence" fools do something useful once in

a while. Harassing bloggers, homosexuals, pipe dealers, porn sellers...have they truly nothing better to do???

[fishnfla]

12. I think its a damned good idea

If they want to get facts and information, they should read the blogs. Is it a secret? Is it a crime?

Hell maybe they will learn something. I know I did from reading the Bagdad Blogger this past summer and fall.

But then again, I learned somethig from reading this post, the entire link, and the replies. I think US intelligence officials would be better off doing all 3 too........

[CaptainClark23]

14. great opportunity

for disinfo ops.

[dbt]

16. Absolutely!

When you are being watched, it is your duty to drive the watchers nuts!

:evilgrin:
dbt

PS:

ECHELON CARNIVORE, Crisco John!