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U.S. Plans to Data Mine Blogs in Huge New Effort

By Jeralyn, Section Civil Liberties
Posted on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 04:49:41 PM EST
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The Christian Science Monitor reports on a huge, planned data mining program that will troll news and blogs.

The US government is developing a massive computer system that can collect huge amounts of data and, by linking far-flung information from blogs and e-mail to government records and intelligence reports, search for patterns of terrorist activity.

The system - parts of which are operational, parts of which are still under development - is already credited with helping to foil some plots. It is the federal government's latest attempt to use broad data-collection and powerful analysis in the fight against terrorism. But by delving deeply into the digital minutiae of American life, the program is also raising concerns that the government is intruding too deeply into citizens' privacy.

The "core" of the system is called Analysis, Dissemination, Visualization, Insight, and Semantic Enhancement (ADVISE). Check the Monitor article for lots more details.

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    U.S. Plans to Data Mine Blogs in Huge New Effort | 53 comments (53 topical)
    Re: U.S. Plans to Data Mine Blogs in Huge New Effo (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 05:16:04 PM EST
    Gotta keep track of Al Qaida's blogs, don't you know. I'm sure they'll never target any other large blogging groups- especially not ones with opinions contrary to the Bush administration's. They've certainly shown admirable restraint in their infiltration of anti-war activist groups.

    Re: U.S. Plans to Data Mine Blogs in Huge New Effo (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 05:31:20 PM EST
    Gosh, this IS good news. Now if I forget what I say I can just ask the thugs. How long do you suppose they might keep the data? 6 months? 6 years? 60 years? Boy, what a help that is. And I believe Gonzo when he says that they would NEVER, NEVER use the information to spy on their political opponents.

    Re: U.S. Plans to Data Mine Blogs in Huge New Effo (none / 0) (#3)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 05:46:04 PM EST
    California_reality_check - Of course they won't us them to spy on their opponents. Why the Clinton Administration didn't use those 1100 individual FBI files in such a manner... Did they?

    Re: U.S. Plans to Data Mine Blogs in Huge New Effo (none / 0) (#4)
    by Johnny on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 06:07:10 PM EST
    Jimmy, your statement is garbled. Re-phrase please, so we know what it is you were trying to say. 'Bout the only legible thing in that cluster was "Clinton"... Setting a new, all-time record on TL for the coveted "Clinton did it first and/or Clinton should have done it first" posting... Big whoop, the gov't can spy on blogs all they want. Worst they can do is lock us up into chain-link enclosed "free-blogging" zones...

    Re: U.S. Plans to Data Mine Blogs in Huge New Effo (none / 0) (#5)
    by Al on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 06:07:42 PM EST
    I think I understand ... When PPJ hasn't received his talking points yet, he defaults to Clinton-did-the-same-thing. So now they want to intimidate bloggers. I had no idea they were so paranoid. Wouldn't it be funny if PPJ got arrested in the middle of the night for all those inflammatory comments he's posted?

    Re: U.S. Plans to Data Mine Blogs in Huge New Effo (none / 0) (#6)
    by Edger on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 06:18:42 PM EST
    california_reality_check
    Gosh, this IS good news.
    This really is wonderful news! Finally, after all their talk and noise about the mission from God to spread freedom and democracy around the world, and all the complaining over the past 5 years from crazed left wing spaced out paranoid disconnected from reality radicals that too many billion$ were being spent overseas and not enough spent domestically, and that totalitarianism was just around the corner, all the ridiculous fears are magically allayed, and bushco is at long last living up to their bright promise, and bringing true participatory democracy to the country. Finally the people will have a true voice in the affairs of the nation, with the knowledge that everything they say, every opinion they express, every concern and suggestion and profuse thanks for their compassionately conservative dear leaders will go directly to the ears of those who need to know, without delay, mere milliseconds after it's typed! At last! It just doesn't get any better than this! Thanks George!

    Re: U.S. Plans to Data Mine Blogs in Huge New Effo (none / 0) (#7)
    by squeaky on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 06:28:42 PM EST
    silly wabbit

    Re: U.S. Plans to Data Mine Blogs in Huge New Effo (none / 0) (#8)
    by Edger on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 06:32:35 PM EST
    The devil made me do it. Praise be to jeebus!

    Re: U.S. Plans to Data Mine Blogs in Huge New Effo (none / 0) (#9)
    by Darryl Pearce on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 07:15:37 PM EST
    Time for me to go start reading my Thomas Paine again....

    Re: U.S. Plans to Data Mine Blogs in Huge New Effo (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 07:50:02 PM EST
    You know, the more I think about it, the more I like this surveillance stuff, and I'm really really getting to like our administration more and more. Alot. And if this blog, thread, and comment are being surveilled then I really really like the administration and whoever is doing the surveilling must be a really good person who I also like alot.

    Re: U.S. Plans to Data Mine Blogs in Huge New Effo (none / 0) (#11)
    by Al on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 07:57:09 PM EST
    I for one welcome our new ADVISE overlords.

    Re: U.S. Plans to Data Mine Blogs in Huge New Effo (none / 0) (#12)
    by jimcee on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 08:04:14 PM EST
    I am pretty sure it is being built on the existing foundations of the 'Eschalon' project that was started in the '90's I believe and was used by the previous administration for internal surveilance. Someone might want to 'Google' that.

    Re: U.S. Plans to Data Mine Blogs in Huge New Effo (none / 0) (#13)
    by Edger on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 08:10:20 PM EST
    This one, Jimcee?

    Re: U.S. Plans to Data Mine Blogs in Huge New Effo (none / 0) (#14)
    by Edger on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 08:20:47 PM EST
    Well, it's late, and there a half dozen men in black suits outside the house and 2 or 3 hanging from the phone poles with binoculars, so I'm going to go hide under the blankets with my hands over my ears. 'night all... it's been fun. :-)

    Re: U.S. Plans to Data Mine Blogs in Huge New Effo (none / 0) (#15)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 08:49:03 PM EST
    Well, while they are at it, the least they could do is a little spell checking. I could use the help

    Re: U.S. Plans to Data Mine Blogs in Huge New Effo (none / 0) (#16)
    by jimcee on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 08:54:00 PM EST
    edger, No not that one. I was refering to something called the 'Eschalon Project' that came up in the '90's which was an system that was triggered by key phrases or words and at one point was exposed by the 'black helicopter' folks that thought President Clinton was scanning thier ranks.