Hundreds of Words to Avoid Using Online if You Don't Want the Government Spying on You

7/31/2019 Hundreds of Words to Avoid Using Online if You Don't Want the Government Spying on You

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Department of Homeland Security forced to release list following freedom ofinformation requestAgency insists it only looks for evidence of genuine threats to the U.S. and not forsigns 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 forevidence 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 tomonitor 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 governmentanalysts 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 NationalOperations Center which instructs workers to identify 'media reports that reflect adversely on DHS and

EALED: Hundreds of words to avoid using online if you don't want... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2150281/REVEALED-Hundre...

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response activities'.

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

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

As well as terrorism, analysts are instructed to search for evidence of unfolding natural disasters, public healththreats 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 whofiled 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 centredescribed the choice of words as 'broad, vague and ambiguous'.

Scroll down for full list

Threat detection: Released under a freedom of information request, the information


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sheds new light on how government analysts are instructed to patrol the internetsearching for domestic and external threats

They point out that it includes 'vast amounts of First Amendment protected speech that is entirely unrelated tothe 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 theendgame' in maintaining situational awareness of natural and man-made threats and denied that thegovernment 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, DHSwill review the language contained in all materials to clearly and accurately convey the parameters andintention of the program.'

MIND YOUR LANGUAGE: THE LIST OF KEYWORDS IN FULL


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Comments (174)

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America: Land of the Free and Home of the Red/Islamic terrorist under every bed !

- Ishkandar, London, 26/5/2012 22:24

Click to rate Rating 619

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Muppets! Anyone planning dirty deeds will code their intentions. What a waste of time and money. George Orwell was so correct.

- Rick, Cuiaba Brasil, 26/5/2012 22:19



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- Sacha, here and there, 26/5/2012 22:07


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Pork cloud and Mexico. Come and get me.

- Ex Tory voter (but never again), UK, 26/5/2012 22:00


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Hundreds of Words to Avoid Using Online if You Don't Want the Government Spying on You