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Leaked Documents Show the U.S. Tracking Journalists Through a Secret Database

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Re: Leaked Documents Show the U.S. Tracking Journalists Through a Secret Database

#4
post #2

Is anyone surprised by these leaks? I think most people assume this is happening.

Yes, this actually surprised me, but I guess some people really don't mind (or just didn't think about) having to testify before Congress in order to justify their actions.

Re: Leaked Documents Show the U.S. Tracking Journalists Through a Secret Database

#5
post #2

Is anyone surprised by these leaks? I think most people assume this is happening.

The Bush and Obama Administrations were extraordinarily aggressive in expanding US espionage action domestically. Obama was infamously aggressive in targeting the press. The notion that they'd do all of that and not begin tracking journalists in a comprehensive fashion was an improbable scenario. The first leaks by Snowden should have prompted the press to assume it. It's why so many of the major media outlets have gone to increased lengths to establish more robust communication approaches for secrecy of contact. Surely they all knew the surveillence systems had been dramatically broadened and that they'd be a key observation point for domestic intel, leaks, sources. The only thing different since the Nixon era (it really goes even further back), is the scale and efficiency at which they can do the tracking through automation; nothing ever changed about the targeting.

Re: Leaked Documents Show the U.S. Tracking Journalists Through a Secret Database

#7
>Documents obtained by NBC 7 Investigates show the U.S. government created a secret database of activists, journalists, and social media influencers tied to the migrant caravan and in some cases, placed alerts on their passports.

It sounds like only people and journalists who are covering "the caravan" are being tracked. Not that it makes it any better.

It also seems to have been started very recently, probably under the current administration.

Re: Leaked Documents Show the U.S. Tracking Journalists Through a Secret Database

#8
Not only tracking them, but putting flags on their passports and interrogating them at the border:

“They asked about the new caravan and if word had gotten out about how difficult it is to seek asylum in the U.S.,” Drehsler said. “Then before I left, the female agent asked if I rented or owned my home.”

This sounds much more like a political intimidation operation than serving a national security purpose.

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