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The FBI "Can Neither Confirm Nor Deny" That It Monitors Your Social Media Posts

posted by takyon on Friday January 18 2019, @11:30PM   
from the I-was-too-busy-browsing-Facebook dept.

An Anonymous Coward writes:

The FBI 'Can Neither Confirm nor Deny' That It Monitors Your Social Media Posts

In recent years, the federal government has significantly ramped up its efforts to monitor people on social media. The FBI, for one, has repeatedly acknowledged that it engages in surveillance of social media posts. So it was surprising when the bureau responded to our Freedom of Information Act request on this kind of surveillance by saying that it "can neither confirm nor deny the existence of records."

The six other federal agencies we submitted the FOIA request to haven't produced a single document. The request, filed last May, seeks information on how the agencies collect and analyze posts from Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites.

Today we sued the agencies to get some answers, because the public has a right to know about the exact nature of social media surveillance — especially whether agencies are monitoring and retaining social media posts, or using surveillance products that label activists and people of color as threats to public safety based on their First Amendment-protected activities.

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Original Submission

• Re:It's their job to do so Re:It's their job to do so (Score: 4, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Saturday January 19 2019, @03:47AM (2 children)

  by Runaway1956 (2926) on Saturday January 19 2019, @03:47AM (#788542) Journal

  So, what you're saying is, you don't enjoy whatever freedoms you have, you don't value privacy, and you don't think anyone else should either. You're one of those people who belongs in a regimented institution, where the keepers tell you if and when you should take your meds, or go to the bathroom, or watch television.

  Parent

  Starting Score:	1		point
  Moderation		+2
  Troll=1, Insightful=2, Underrated=1, Disagree=1, Total=5
  Extra 'Insightful' Modifier		0
  Karma-Bonus Modifier		+1
  Total Score:		4

• Re:It's their job to do so Re:It's their job to do so (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 19 2019, @07:11PM (1 child)

  by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 19 2019, @07:11PM (#788735)

  So what *you're* saying is there's no gray area whatsoever. It's completely black/white and anyone who disagrees is communist fascist nazi?

  Parent

  • Re:It's their job to do so (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 20 2019, @04:12AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 20 2019, @04:12AM (#788906)

    No, but the person he was responding to definitely is... Censorship is always evil and must be defeated by any means necessary, even if it takes nuclear weapons.

    Parent