The F.B.I. is Following You (on Twitter) and Responding

Obviously, someone in the FBI Press Office is tracking references to the agency on Twitter and has the authority to respond, an echo of efforts in the private sector by companies like JetBlue to be more responsive to immediate complaints or issues raised by consumers. The agency is also using the service to track more serious matters, like this case of an Oklahoma man who was allegedly issuing violent threats around the "tea-bagging" protests a few weeks ago.

source

I knew there was a reason i didn't use Twitter. Apparently the FBI is watching and responding to Twitter messages. If the FBI is watching, that means that most of the three-letter agencies are as well. Scary...

According to the linked source they were also using it to keep track of things going on during the various Tea Parties. It says they were only using it to track someone who was issuing threats, but if they admit they were tracking him, you can rest assured they were tracking a lot more people.


TA

reply to post by TheAssociate


this is interesting, i don't use twitter either ... i read this earlier, was about to post it, but then i read this comment left on the page:

"Obviously, someone in the FBI Press Office is tracking references to the agency on Twitter..."

Are you sure it's actually the FBI? Do you know how easy it is to set up a Twitter account? Do you know how many "official" Twitter accounts...aren't? This is why, as a social media consultant, I highly encourage - at the very least - cybersquatting on every social web site available. You don't want someone spoofing your identity, especially a corporate one.

If the tweet was really sent out as quickly as reported here, I highly doubt it's the actual agency monitoring the tweets...

And decided not to

who knows though? i don't think they would be 'tweeting' you, more or less they'd be calling or e-mailing you

[edit on 4-5-2009 by baseball101]

reply to post by baseball101


You may be right, baseball. It could be a hoax, but i'm paranoid and prefer not to take my chances. I just figured others out there of a similar mind-set might be interested in this one. Thanks for the reply.


TA

I always get these messages on my private e account that so and so is following you on twitter... real ppl I know but I have not joined twitter...

i'm not saying it's not a possibility, nor am i discrediting your paranoia, it's understandable ... it was a good read nonetheless, anythings possible

reply to post by TheAssociate


I use Twitter as one way to stay in touch with my kids while i'm here in Iraq. I'm wondering if there's some sort of keyword program running on Twitter. For example, my daughter and I were comparing beef jerky brands, i told her Oberto is the best. Next thing i know, i'm being "followed" by Oberto Beef Jerky. Then the other day i was Tweeting with my son about his ceramics (he hates it..lol) project final in school. After that i noticed i was being followed by a ceramics blog.

I was thinking that's some "coincidence".

It is a word recognition software program that does it, it downloads when you are on twitter at one point or another.(just about all the other site's use them now too)
The agencies with those cute lil names can follow someone making threats with the same type of program. They just have theirs on a high level server hoping no one can crack it!
I would rather they didn't do it.... but how else are they going to keep tab's on all those terrorist's?

Hello,

I have a section which you might find interesting enough, perhaps take the time to view and listen to what is going on so you wont be caught of guard. I think No1 & No3 are related to what you have posted.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Gov't workers surfing the net and twitter? Who'd have thought!

Well okay but why should I care?I'm not doing anything wrong.If they want to read my boring chatter, what would it matter?

The FBI/CIA/NSA/ETC watch everything on the net. Make no mistake about it. There is no privacy. Not through Tor, not through proxies, etc. Only well seasoned hackers (REAL hackers) can obtain privacy on the net.

I knew it, I knew it, I knew it Ok, done with that.
Really, I was just telling someone how all these various "self" monitoring websites are probably just a way of getting everyone used to being followed. I'm glad to see that the fed has time, money, and employment to monitor twitter, sheesh, my tax dollars at work.

reply to post by xoxo stacie

It is a word recognition software program that does it, it downloads when you are on twitter at one point or another.(just about all the other site's use them now too)

There may be some lite spying done through some sites themselves and ATS is certainly being monitored, but the real spy capabilities are built into the operating systems. Starting with, but not limited to, windows. Spend some time looking into PROMIS and INSLAW. Any time you are connected to the web you can be surveiled. You can even watch for PROMIS as you install windows. They probably won't be kicking in your door at 4:00am for saying you hate the president, but I guarantee they keep track of patterns and signs that weed out posts like this and lock them on to people who might be making plans.

I have no problem with reasonable security. The problem begins with the restriction of freedoms and grows the tighter the noose gets. Having the mechanisms in place already. there is nothing to stop them from writing a new definition of threat or kicking doors at 4:00am for free speach that disagrees with their authority.