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;
            

Tyler Q. Houlton ✔ @SpoxDHS

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 …

5:41 PM - Apr 6, 2018

The Chicago Sun-Times reported the plan comes amid concerns of so-called “fake news” and its effect on U.S. elections. Considering President Trump’s aggressive rhetoric against the mainstream news many in the media industry see such a database as yet another attack on the free press. Another possibility is that it may be simply the deep state continuing its unchecked expansion deeper into society. The DHS solicitation for bids on the project can be viewed on the website FedBizOpps.gov. Regardless of why the DHS thinks they need such a database the three things we can be certain of is that it will be costly, taxpayers and their children will foot the bill, and last but not least, the money will line the pockets of Washington insiders.