Saturday, April 7, 2018

Database To Monitor Journalists, Bloggers, And More!

Security - Monitoring Journalists, Bloggers, And More
It seems the Department of Homeland Security wants to create a database to monitor journalists, bloggers, and social media influencers should concern all Americans and not just those who might be put on the list. According to the DHS’s statement of work.DHS seeking a contractor for a “media monitoring services” project. The job entails creating a searchable database that has the ability to track about 290,000 news sources, both foreign and domestic. Consider this as more proof that security comes in many forms.

The job of the contractor would entail helping the DHS monitor traditional news sources as well as social media, and identify any and all media coverage related to the Department of Homeland Security or a particular event. The job description states; “Services shall provide media comparison tools, design and rebranding tools, communication tools, and the ability to identify top media influencers.” It continues by saying the online platform should also be able to instantly translate media from 100 languages, including Chinese and Russian, into English as well as be able to analyze the coverage’s “sentiment” and “momentum.”

The contractor should also be able to “present contact details and any other information that could be relevant including publications this influencer writes for, and an overview of the previous coverage published by the influencer.” Should this create concern and does this step over the line? Not according to Homeland Security press secretary Tyler Houlton, who tweeted Friday;
            
Despite what some reporters may suggest, this is nothing more than the standard practice of monitoring current events in the media. Any suggestion otherwise is fit for tin foil hat wearing, black helicopter conspiracy theorists. https://twitter.com/pressfreedom/status/982366421849202690 

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