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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDepartment Of Homeland Security Compiling Database Of Journalists And 'Media Influencers'
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michellefabio/2018/04/06/department-of-homeland-security-compiling-database-of-journalists-and-media-influencers/#132168ff6121The 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.
Every day, journalists face serious consequences including physical violence, imprisonment and death. A few days ago, the Committee to Protect Journalists launched its annual Free The Press campaign to raise awareness about imprisoned journalists throughout the world. On May 3, UNESCO will once again mark World Press Freedom Day "to inform citizens of violations of press freedom a reminder that in dozens of countries around the world, publications are censored, fined, suspended and closed down, while journalists, editors and publishers are harassed, attacked, detained and even murdered."
Meanwhile, the United States government, traditionally one of the bastions of press freedom, is about to compile a list of professional journalists and "top media influencers," which would seem to include bloggers and podcasters, and monitor what they're putting out to the public.
What could possibly go wrong? A lot. . . .
dameatball
(7,400 posts)Clarity2
(1,009 posts)when Trump said he was going to run? I mean really? A dictatorship ruled by Putin/Trump?
BobTheSubgenius
(11,572 posts)I never even imagined him getting the nomination. Now, there is almost nothing too vile or venal for me to discount.
Clarity2
(1,009 posts)By the time he was elected, I knew how this was going to go down and what he was all about. BUT, before the campaign, I never imagined he was this much of a monster. I thought I was going to spend 4 yrs laughing at him making an idiot of himself. Boy was I wrong.
BobTheSubgenius
(11,572 posts)Is there any argument whatsoever to counter the claim that this will have anything but a chilling effect on the media? It may not scare too many too much, but it's a thin edge of a wedge, and there's a big hammer behind it, waiting.
This is APPALLING.
BadgerMom
(2,771 posts)That was my question.
RandomAccess
(5,210 posts)I can't imagine it's Constitutional
dalton99a
(81,636 posts)spanone
(135,900 posts)IluvPitties
(3,181 posts)Bernardo de La Paz
(49,047 posts)Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)Leghorn21
(13,527 posts)snip
As part of its "media monitoring," the DHS seeks to track more than 290,000 global news sources as well as social media in over 100 languages, including Arabic, Chinese and Russian, for instant translation into English. The successful contracting company will have "24/7 access to a password protected, media influencer database, including journalists, editors, correspondents, social media influencers, bloggers etc." in order to "identify any and all media coverage related to the Department of Homeland Security or a particular event."
"Any and all media coverage," as you might imagine, is quite broad and includes "online, print, broadcast, cable, radio, trade and industry publications, local sources, national/international outlets, traditional news sources, and social media."
The database will be browsable by "location, beat and type of influencer," and for each influencer, the chosen contractor should "present contact details and any other information that could be relevant, including publications this influencer writes for, and an overview of the previous coverage published by the media influencer."
One aspect of the media coverage to be gathered is its "sentiment."
nolabear
(41,995 posts)This had better be challenged and knocked down or were truly going to be handing around papers under cover of night and broadcasting in code.
#RESIST
williesgirl
(4,033 posts)superpatriotman
(6,253 posts)Pumping ultra nationalism through the database right into the mushy brains of 'followers'?
Kablooie
(18,641 posts)Fox News and Sinclair will be free to continue unobstructed.
Anything on the liberal side such as MSNBC will be controlled.