In an anonymous industrial park in Virginia, in an unassuming brick building, the CIA is following tweets — up to 5 million a day.

At the agency´s Open Source Center, a team known affectionately as the "vengeful librarians" also pores over Facebook, newspapers, TV news channels, local radio stations, Internet chat rooms — anything overseas that anyone can access and contribute to openly.

From Arabic to Mandarin Chinese, from an angry tweet to a thoughtful blog, the analysts gather the information, often in native tongue. They cross-reference it with the local newspaper or a clandestinely intercepted phone conversation. From there, they build a picture sought by the highest levels at the White House, giving a real-time peek, for example, at the mood of a region after the Navy SEAL raid that killed Osama bin Laden or perhaps a prediction of which Mideast nation seems ripe for revolt.

Yes, they saw the uprising in Egypt coming; they just didn´t know exactly when revolution might hit, said the center´s director, Doug Naquin.

The center already had "predicted that social media in places like Egypt could be a game-changer and a threat to the regime," he said in a recent interview with The Associated Press at the center. CIA officials said it was the first such visit by a reporter the agency has ever granted.

The CIA facility was set up in response to a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission, with its first priority to focus on counterterrorism and counterproliferation. But its several hundred analysts — the actual number is classified — track a broad range, from Chinese Internet access to the mood on the street in Pakistan.

While most are based in Virginia, the analysts also are scattered throughout U.S. embassies worldwide to get a step closer to the pulse of their subjects.

From: yahoo.news

Where else would they look when information is presented to them on a golden plate and on a voluntary basis?

This world is like a masquarade, no matter how democratic you may think your nation has become, the authority always finds a way to infiltrate into your private life. All this happens in the undercover of a candy box design. You find your sweethearts on the social media platform in exchange of a security check into your thoughts and political inclinations.

If this trend goes on like this, there will effectively be no private life in the future.

Could it be that we are travelling on a seemingly benign road of technological advancement that will eventually lead us to Mr. Orwell´s world of Olligarchical Collectivism as laid out in his 1984.

As long as our leaders have interests other than those strictly national and deep rooted fears of becoming a loser in the power equilibrium, things will go on like this forever.

I don´t think anyone is under the misapprehension that anything they post on the internet is private or unmonitored are they?  For example, any photos you post on facebook instantly belong to facebook, not you.  You would also be a fool to think that you have a right to privacy when you use your phone - especially your mobile phone.  Even when it´s switched off, it can be tracked and listened to!  Even when you walk down a street, you are constantly monitored by CCTV.

However, you would also be foolish if you thought that anyone has time to listen in to your conversation with your lover/friend/colleague on a day to day basis!  Unless you have something very threatening to say or are planning a crime, I think you are quite safe to talk about your annoying fat mother in law!

Despite all this close monitoring, isn´t it amazing and wonderful that social networking sites have given people a unified voice, and made changes to the world and even their country´s leadership/regime just by getting together and talking?!  See?  The internet is not just for dudus....

As for this comment.. :-

If this trend goes on like this, there will effectively be no private life in the future.

Just a TAD scaremongering don´t you think?   Do you REALLY think the CIA or other government organisation are really interested enough in the average person´s life? Anyway, can´t you have a private life without using the internet/your phone? 

You seem to be partly endorsing what I had written earlier. Nonetheless, it seems you think that we open up the doors to our private lives willingly or we must be ready to accept the consequences if people decide to peek into our lives. You must however realize that people are rarely consenting to disclose their private information to anyone wishing. In most cases, they trust an organization and consider their promise to keep what is trusted as confidential information as confidential just as they are meant to be. Some of these organizations however are said to be threatened by the US government agencies and the confidential information trusted to them is leaked to them. Once they lay hold of this, they can access further information easily since they now know all the vital information like passwords, answers to secret questions, private communication of not only the person who is being tracked but also every other person associating with him. In other words, the intelligence guys have easy access to an area that may be considered as a cache of thoughts and opinions. If you know somebody´s political inclination and the contact he/she has, you can predict what he/she is capable of and when he/she is likely to take action if she ever will. Now this "if she ever will" part is a bit important. because one of the essential tenets of justice is the assumption that one is not guilty unless he commits crime. You may think of killing me but you are not a murderer unless you actually do that. The police are not in pursuit of potentialities, it is a world of crime and evidence.

It goes like this, you go online, open a Facebook account and don´t add me as a friend on account that you have a jealous boyfriend; but what if I am in association with Facebook and that I have access to all your secret information including a chance to remotely leaking into your PC?  What makes this possible, your consent or a malicious network violating your privacy?

I think there was only the minutest of endorsements   I stand by my comment, that you should be aware that ANYTHING you post on the internet is never private - even if it´s just the website creator, there is always someone reading or monitoring what you write.  For example, my mother doesn´t use the internet so has no risk.  As far as the cyber world is concerned she does not exist. You use the internet, you understand the rules.  Simple.

Another point is that anything I do at work, whilst using the internet, belongs to my employers.  They have bought my time and therefore are fully within their rights to read even my personal emails sent from a personal account.  Employers can record you secretly, spy, and read anything you do or type whilst at work. Again - not many people know that.

I must admit I was amused by your hypothetical reference to me not adding you as a friend on Facebook...   If you accessed my Facebook account, you would find nothing there that I am not willing to share with everyone! The fact is, if you DID remotely access my PC you would find nothing particuarly interesting either except maybe my bank details, which, if you used them, would make you a criminal.  If a government agency wishes to do that, they would not be looking for malicious gossip or revenge, they would be looking to see if I was planning to bomb Lemon´s house.

Apologies if this is rather hastily written and I do appreciate the time and effort you put into your reply to me.  Unfortunately I have to sleep now as I am working tomorrow.... a fact you might know........if you were my Facebook friend

Quote:TheAenigma

Just a TAD scaremongering don´t you think?   Do you REALLY think the CIA or other government organisation are really interested enough in the average person´s life?

2 months ago a facebook page was closed down and 80 people aged from 13 to 17 years old were arrested.  The name of the page was called Kill the f***ing teacher, and it displayed the teacher´s name.  The reaction of those kids after being arrested, it was a joke, it was a place to vent.  They were not even aware that uttering death threats is a punishable offense by law.  So anyone seeing this page on facebook had the right to report this and thank goodness they did because they probably saved this teacher´s life.

Also since the advent of the USA PATRIOT act that stands for: Uniting (and) Strengthening America (by) Providing Appropriate Tools Required (to) Intercept (and) Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001.  This act dramatically reduced restrictions on law enforcement agencies´ ability to search telephone, e-mail communications, medical, financial, and other records; eased restrictions on foreign intelligence gathering within the United States; expanded the Secretary of the Treasury´s authority to regulate financial transactions, particularly those involving foreign individuals and entities; and broadened the discretion of law enforcement and immigration authorities in detaining and deporting immigrants suspected of terrorism-related acts. The act also expanded the definition of terrorism to include domestic terrorism, thus enlarging the number of activities to which the USA PATRIOT Act’s expanded law enforcement powers can be applied.

this taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_PATRIOT_Act

So in short, no one is truelly free to express themselve and it is said that the spoken words are fleeting, written words are eternal.

Aren´t we both saying the same thing?  As to the facebook page - if you create a page saying you want to kill a teacher, what do you expect???!

I agree with you (and have said above) that you cannot write anything on the internet and assume it´s not confidentential - whether it´s by email, on a forum, on a social networking site or a blog. 

However....as I also said above, there is no need to be paranoid if you HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE!!  They are really not interested in your email to your girlfriend or your blog about your day!!

just to give you an idea of why paranoyia is good and that everyone should look over there sholders.

if you do research on the net for hydroponic equipment you get flagged by the authoreties.  I had nothing to hide but I did not like having the authoreties come to my home and investigate to make sure I was not growing marijuanna and search my greenhouse because I wanted to convert to hydropinics.  That is what they do with the information they "pickup" on the internet.  So even if you have nothing to hide best to be aware that you have "big brother" watching every move you make. 

And then they say we live in a free and democratic country.

CIA is also following Lisa while she´s on the potty!!!

oh darn and to think it would have been the last sanctuary of serenity

 Don´t believe a word theAenigma says!  She is a CIA operative!  Why do you think she disappears for long periods of time and then re-appears out of nowhere?  How do you think she got those pictures??  Why do you think defends these stealers of liberty?  Yes, its all clear now!  I´ll be watching and waiting Aenigma! 

I might be feeling inspired enough to write an expose for TC Tabloid. 

Yessssssssssssss!