At News Views, we’re always trying something to get y’all out here talking. This week, I’ve presented an issue that affects all of us including our democracy. Personally, I anticipate another Wing Nut uprising when August comes and goes and the Former Guy is still not seated behind the Resolute desk.
On Tuesday, a bipartisan report ‘revealed that Capitol Police and other authorities had more alarming intelligence in late December 2020 than previously documented’ about the January 6th insurrection. But we’ve known domestic terrorism was on the rise way back in 2009 when DHS released a report titled, “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic And Political Climate Fueling Resurgence In Radicalization And Recruitment.” This report sent Wing Nut World into a frenzy because they continually deny that their pals and supporters are no different than ISIS and pose the greatest threat to our country and democracy.
Last month, a spokesperson from DHS announced the agency would implement ‘a strategy to gather and analyze intelligence about security threats from public social media posts.’ The focus is not to identify individuals but to ‘glean’ ‘insights about potential security threats based on emerging narratives and grievances. So far, DHS is using human beings, not computer algorithms, to make sense of the data, the officials said.’
We’re not looking at who are the individual posters,” said a senior official involved in the effort. “We are looking at what narratives are resonating and spreading across platforms. From there you may be able to determine what are the potential targets you need to protect.”
No one needs a warrant to read comments or entries posted on Twitter, Facebook and other public social media forums, including Disqus. But, various civil liberties groups claim that information gleaned from social media doesn’t really provide much of anything but monitoring social media sites risks stifling Free Speech.
So, because what occurred on January 6th, is still fresh on our brains and August is just around the corner when The Cult really ‘thinks’ the Former Guy will somehow become president again, do you think DHS, the FBI, DoJ, and any other alphabet soup agency should monitor social media looking for radicalized folks or hints of another insurrection? Do you believe their presence impedes on your civil liberties, including a right to privacy (don’t get how one exists on social media) or Free Speech? Does their presence make you less likely to participate on social medial?
So, your task, as the intelligent lot you are, is to discuss the dilemma. Answer any and all questions you want but share your ideas with your fellow News Viewers. Feel free to share your thoughts on the rise of Domestic Terrorism and other ways we can curb it.
Hope you enjoy- Please understand that this is not a free chat thread. Please post to the topic; share your ideas, answer the questions I asked, and offer up any solutions/ideas, etc. you may have.
