After a failed FOIA request and a lawsuit, the Department of Homeland Security finally released a list of words that it uses to monitor online media and social networking sites. Some words are understandably listed, and include Al Qaeda, assassination and attack, but others are more simple such as agriculture, San Diego and smart. The list was released to Electronic Privacy Information Center, a privacy watchdog group, and published on its website. DHS said the list needed to be updated to properly keep a lookout on potential threats. However, the list does not focus solely on terrorism; it also watches for any border disturbances or narcotic movements, natural disasters and health threats.
Leave a Reply