Department Of Homeland Security Compiling Database Of Journalists And 'Media Influencers'

In today’s installment of “I’m Not Terrified, You Are,” Bloomberg Law reports on a FedBizOpps.gov posting by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with the relatively benign-sounding subject “Media Monitoring Services.”

The details of the attached Request for Information, however, outline a plan to gather and monitor the public activities of media professionals and influencers and are enough to cause nightmares of constitutional proportions, particularly as the freedom of the press is under attack worldwide.

And “attack” is not hyperbolic.

So urce

Well this doesn't sound nefarious at all.

Right now there's not a lot of information as to why the DHS wants this information. But anytime the government wants to build a list or database it's definitely concerning. Especially when the current administration has been at odds with the subject of the database.

What are ATS' thoughts? Am I just being paranoid and this database is benign? Or do you think it's the prelude to a crackdown on the media?

Usually we thing "Liberal' When we think of someone wanting to control the media or stop certain types of speach, but Trump has been all over that issue too. When both ends of the political spectrum are after your journalists, it is time to worry.

Sounds like a good way to assemble graphs and charts and see what's fake and what's not.

Patterns abound !!

Do we have to compile a list? I was hoping we could just skip to rounding people up.

I am shocked... shocked I say...

Wasn't there a big story several years ago about some 3 letter agency investigating reporters>?

They need to monitor the fake news that is coming out that is disrupting our society. If the news is real, or the conspiracy is real, then the information should be allowed. But the twisted information we are being fed is not good for society.

I am more towards us having freedom of speech than worrying about the press twisting things into a ball of yarn just to get people interested in things that aren't even real. I think the news should be politically unbias. They should be required to spread the truth, not false stuff. Both political parties members screw up enough without making things up about them.

a reply to: xuenchen

Sounds like a good reason to contact your representatives.

a reply to: rickymouse

No people need to vet their own news and learn the difference. We do not need a registry of journalists nor do we need someone controlling what news we get based on their assessment of its value.

originally posted by: Sillyolme
a reply to: rickymouse

No people need to vet their own news and learn the difference. We do not need a registry of journalists nor do we need someone controlling what news we get based on their assessment of its value.

I have spent a lot of my life listening to fake propaganda. Most was being let out through the news. But this propaganda was not party oriented, we knew it was propaganda but until recently most people were not party crazy. Well, maybe I was a little party crazy in the seventies and eighties, but that was different.

a reply to: Xcalibur254

I accidentally worked for the DHS once.. From what Ive seen they keep track of lots of information.
this is probably to find out who the "russians" are...

but it will be used sooner or later on anyone deemed harmful to the state.

".....outline a plan to gather and monitor the public activities of media professionals and influencers.."

As a firm and uncompromising Constitutionalist, any "attack" or infringement without due process is intolerable. When it comes to the rights and freedoms we all enjoy as Americans, that comes with a cost. Yes, there are things that are said and done that are completely false and manipulative.

It is one's PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY to know the difference. Propaganda only works if you are too lazy to fact check what is being said.

The only reason there seems to be a need to track and monitor anything is solely the fault of a complacent and consenting public.

a reply to: rickymouse

Your choice of news sources are your own. Be thankful you have a choice.

I'm on the fence on this one.

How is the media not the single biggest threat to freedom we have right now?

Trying to sway elections, start a civil war, remove rights, start a race war, turn the public on the police.

Just remove the bs clinton started like lying is cool, and anti trust can be ignored.

Then get rid of the smith mundt act obama modified to legalize propaganda.

Then, anti trust the crap out of these guys for the hostile takeover of all our news sources.

a reply to: Xcalibur254

Surely the anti-gun people are in support of this. Fake news can influence entire elections.... presumably! I say no "journalist" should be allowed to write a single word without an extensive background check and waiting period. We should also limit the number words they can use at any one time, so only tweets.

Given that news is actually propaganda...I mean who cares anymore anyway?

Honestly, you are better aggregating blogs nowadays. Maybe Trump wants to crash the media and start again, he wouldn't be alone. Maybe the media is realising that the game is up and as such are scorching earth policy with exaggeration.

a reply to: xuenchen

Keeping my fingers crossed that certain targets will be identified as dangerous to this country.

We should sh!t can all the fake news and just rely on Trumps tweets. That's all we need to know.

Keep Alex Jones...I don't think we can stand another invasion of gay frogs. Thank God he warned us....

originally posted by: olaru12
We should sh!t can all the fake news and just rely on Trumps tweets. That's all we need to know.

Keep Alex Jones...I don't think we can stand another invasion of gay frogs. Thank God he warned us....

How about we have at least a few media outlets whose objective is to impartially report the news, how about that?

Anti-American activities conducted to sway elections is a crime and every liberal news agency is guilty of it.

originally posted by: Mandroid7
I'm on the fence on this one.

How is the media not the single biggest threat to freedom we have right now?

Trying to sway elections, start a civil war, remove rights, start a race war, turn the public on the police.

Just remove the bs clinton started like lying is cool, and anti trust can be ignored.

Then get rid of the smith mundt act obama modified to legalize propaganda.

Then, anti trust the crap out of these guys for the hostile takeover of all our news sources.

The media are no longer the free press - they are in the service of a political ideology, so any and all attempts should be made to save the free press.

That said, I am at a loss as to how monitoring the media is a constitutional issue?