FOIA Documents Reveal Homeland Security is Monitoring Political Dissent

6 points

14 years ago

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) is a public interest research center based out of Washington DC. EPIC works on focusing public attention on emerging privacy and civil liberties issues. I am not affiliated with EPIC.

As the result of EPIC v. DHS, a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, EPIC has obtained nearly thee hundred pages of documents detailing a Department of Homeland Security's surveillance program.

The documents include contracts and statements of work with General Dynamics for 24/7 media and social network monitoring and periodic reports to DHS.

The documents reveal that the agency is tracking media stories that "reflect adversely" on DHS or the U.S. government.

One example tracking report -- "Residents Voice Opposition Over Possible Plan to Bring Guantanamo Detainees to Local Prison-Standish MI"

General Dynamics Overview

General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE: GD) is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world.

Website: http://www.generaldynamics.com/ Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Dynamics

General Dynamics 2010 10-K financial: http://bit.ly/wVtspB

"In the IT services business, volume increased on the group’s IT support and modernization programs for the intelligence community and the Network-Centric Solutions (NETCENTS) program, which provides network support for federal agencies."

"Information technology (IT) services $342M revenue increase in 2009"

"$55M from the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US CERT) to analyze and reduce cyber threats and vulnerabilities."

"One of 46 awards from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) under the Information Technology Supplies and Support Services (ITSSS) program to provide technical services and engage in developmental projects and programs. The program has a maximum potential value of $30 billion among all awardees over eight years."

Sources: 1. http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2012/01/british_tourist.html 2. General Dynamics 2010 10-K financial: http://bit.ly/wVtspB 3. http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/onepercent/2012/01/fbi-releases-plans-to-monitor.html 4. http://epic.org/foia/epic-v-dhs-media-monitoring/ 5. FOIA documents obtained by EPIC: http://bit.ly/wvXOzP