Sabtu, 26 Mei 2012

REVEALED: Hundreds of words to avoid using online if you don't want the government spying on you

REVEALED: Hundreds of words to avoid using online if you don't want the government spying on you

  • Department of Homeland Security forced to release list following freedom of information request
  • Agency insists it only looks for evidence of genuine threats to the U.S. and not for signs of general dissent

By Daniel Miller

PUBLISHED: 04:32 EST, 26 May 2012 | UPDATED: 12:46 EST, 26 May 2012


Revealing: A list of keywords used by government analysts to scour the internet for evidence of threats to the U.S. has been released under the Freedom of Information Act

Revealing: A list of keywords used by government analysts to scour the internet for evidence of threats to the U.S. has been released under the Freedom of Information Act

The Department of Homeland Security has been forced to release a list of keywords and phrases it uses to monitor social networking sites and online media for signs of terrorist or other threats against the U.S.

The intriguing the list includes obvious choices such as 'attack', 'Al Qaeda', 'terrorism' and 'dirty bomb' alongside dozens of seemingly innocent words like 'pork', 'cloud', 'team' and 'Mexico'.

Released under a freedom of information request, the information sheds new light on how government analysts are instructed to patrol the internet searching for domestic and external threats.

The words are included in the department's 2011 'Analyst's Desktop Binder' used by workers at their National Operations Center which instructs workers to identify 'media reports that reflect adversely on DHS and response activities'.

Department chiefs were forced to release the manual following a House hearing over documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit which revealed how analysts monitor social networks and media organisations for comments that 'reflect adversely' on the government.

However they insisted the practice was aimed not at policing the internet for disparaging remarks about the government and signs of general dissent, but to provide awarene ss of any potential threats.

As well as terrorism, analysts are instructed to search for evidence of unfolding natural disasters, public health threats and serious crimes such as mall/school shootings, major drug busts, illegal immigrant busts.

The list has been posted online by the Electronic Privacy Information Center - a privacy watchdog group who filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act before suing to obtain the release of the documents.

In a letter to the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counter-terrorism and Intelligence, the centre described the choice of words as 'broad, vague and ambiguous'.

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Threat detection: Released under a freedom of information request, the information sheds new light on how government analysts are instructed to patrol the internet searching for domestic and external threats

Threat detection: Released under a freedom of information request, the information sheds new light on how government analysts are instructed to patrol the internet searching for domestic and external threats

They point out that it includes 'vast amounts of First Amendment protected speech that is entirely unrelated to the Department of Homeland Security mission to protect the public against terrorism and disasters.'

A senior Homeland Security official told the Huffington Post that the manual 'is a starting point, not the endgame' in maintaining situational aware ness of natural and man-made threats and denied that the government was monitoring signs of dissent.

However the agency admitted that the language used was vague and in need of updating.

Spokesman Matthew Chandler told website: 'To ensure clarity, as part of ... routine compliance review, DHS will review the language contained in all materials to clearly and accurately convey the parameters and intention of the program.'


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It's got to be said, George Orwell wasn't far off. The beauty of the English language is that there are 2 or 3 words with the same meaning due to historic invasions etc. So you can either avoid the key word now that you know what they are, or just send untold bamboozled messages to give the powers that be too much data to examine. Take your pick.

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Assuming all the bad guys speak English then, like on Star Trek?

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They'd better add Paranoia to that list. Bunch of moronic gungho idiots..

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"The Department of Homeland Security has been forced to release a list of keywords and phrases it uses to monitor social networking sites and online media for signs of terrorist or other threats against the U.S."Ha ha haha ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha hahahahhahaahhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa,this is one of the funniest things i've read in a long time,ha hahahhah ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahhaa.How about "kurt Hasckall" you know,the lawer who says that he saw,a man in a baige suit,who spoke perfect AMERICIAN english,lead the Nigerian bomber through airport sercurity.DM please don't insult our intelligence by giving us the BULL****.Nobody is fooled by thier lies and properganda.We are not stupid.Everyone knows that they are probably being tracked by the C.I.A or F.B.I anyway.

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The paranoia that is the USA, a terrorist in every crowd, a bogey man round every corner and behind every bush. The USA is becoming a joke, they are doing exactly what Al Quada wanted them to do, the days of Bobby McGee are over, unless the 99% wake up and take it back. - James, Grays, 26/5/2012 4:56...If 9/11 happened in your backyard in your country you could only hope and pray that your government was doing all that is possible for you and yours families protection. They have thawarted dozens of terrorist attacks, how do you think they have managed that, with a crystal ball?

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What happens when you speak a language other than English? Like the Americans do...........;)

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You may take the pork out of the'cloud but not the mexican out of 'Mexico. Oooof, am I being monitored yet?

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if you explained this to a doctor, shrink or social worker, you'd be sectioned for having paranoid delusions

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Like a red rag to a bull...I'm working on the longest email I've ever written using every one of those words. Packing for Gitmo already.

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Some idiot can't even spell lightning.

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