Homeland Security watches social media

I mean we knew this already but really how has all this changed society? i had someone tell me this week that they used to work for the government and if they want to, they can hack into your web camera and look at you while you are on the computer. I didn't think that was true but I am starting to wonder.

(Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's command center routinely monitors dozens of popular websites, including Facebook, Twitter, Hulu, WikiLeaks and news and gossip sites including the Huffington Post and Drudge Report, according to a government document.
A "privacy compliance review" issued by DHS last November says that since at least June 2010, its national operations center has been operating a "Social Networking/Media Capability" which involves regular monitoring of "publicly available online forums, blogs, public websites and message boards."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/ ... RC20120111

CinnamonGirl wrote: I mean we knew this already but really how has all this changed society? i had someone tell me this week that they used to work for the government and if they want to, they can hack into your web camera and look at you while you are on the computer. I didn't think that was true but I am starting to wonder.

(Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's command center routinely monitors dozens of popular websites, including Facebook, Twitter, Hulu, WikiLeaks and news and gossip sites including the Huffington Post and Drudge Report, according to a government document.
A "privacy compliance review" issued by DHS last November says that since at least June 2010, its national operations center has been operating a "Social Networking/Media Capability" which involves regular monitoring of "publicly available online forums, blogs, public websites and message boards."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/ ... RC20120111

An opinion from JAZZ SHAW at Hot Air.

Look, before any privacy advocates start setting their hair on fire, I fail to see how this is even an issue. This isn’t a revelation of the government prying into your personal e-mail or tapping your phones. If you’re going to go around tweeting every single thing you do and posting about it in detail on your public blog, people are going to read it. And that may very well include the government. And I can see why security agencies would be interested. These days, stories break faster and get fleshed out more fully in social media streams than they do on cable TV. There are only “x” number of reporters to cover everything everywhere, but bloggers and tweeters and Facebook reporters cover the entire planet and their camera phones never sleep.

http://hotair.com/archives/2012/01/12/b ... g-twitter/

Boo!

I think the problem on my end is so few people realize that you should not be putting personal info on a website ANYWHERE. However Facebook is so awful to their users and make is to confusing that half of them or more don't even know what is showing up. I know that it is a cool tool for friends but they are not very transparent about what they are are doing to people. Especially those that don't have many computer skills.

CinnamonGirl wrote: I had someone tell me this week that they used to work for the government and if they want to, they can hack into your web camera and look at you while you are on the computer.

I knew that too, so I always wave and say "good nite Gubmint" when I log off.

I think the IRS watches you while you are doing your tax return too. SOBs



CG I think you have been watching too many Mission Impossible movies. LOL

This was at a book store. I went in to buy a book and they looked me up on their computer. I right away asked them if that meant they were tracking the books I bought and they said yes for convenience sake. We got in a discussion and that is what they told me Joe.

CinnamonGirl wrote: I think the problem on my end is so few people realize that you should not be putting personal info on a website ANYWHERE. However Facebook is so awful to their users and make is to confusing that half of them or more don't even know what is showing up. I know that it is a cool tool for friends but they are not very transparent about what they are are doing to people. Especially those that don't have many computer skills.

We are more than 15 years into a continuous and daily use of the internet, and all the technology that encompasses that usage. My goodness, common sense tells you if YOU can see it on the screen, then somebody else can see it. You put personal information on the internet every time you hit the "submit" button on 285 Bound. You hit "submit" and a slew of information passes between you and the 285 Bound server (and any other server that you information bounces off of). You pass your dynamic (or static) Internet Provider address, information that can target your general location information. Every server that your message passes through saves entries in logs of the movement of those packets of information. You leave an electronic paper trail every time you click on a link. This shouldn't be a mystery to anyone anymore.

CinnamonGirl wrote: This was at a book store. I went in to buy a book and they looked me up on their computer. I right away asked them if that meant they were tracking the books I bought and they said yes for convenience sake. We got in a discussion and that is what they told me Joe.

Description
This document provides steps for changing your webcam privacy options.

Resolution
To control who's watching your webcam:
Click Messenger
Select Preferences
Click Webcam
Select one of the options:
Always ask my permission.
Allow everyone to view my webcam.
Always allow the following people to view my webcam. (Add specific friends.)
Click OK at the bottom of the window.
You can allow everyone within a chat room to view your webcam by enabling the "If I am in a chat room, allow people in the chat room to view my webcam" option.

The Liberals GOP Twin wrote:

CinnamonGirl wrote: I think the problem on my end is so few people realize that you should not be putting personal info on a website ANYWHERE. However Facebook is so awful to their users and make is to confusing that half of them or more don't even know what is showing up. I know that it is a cool tool for friends but they are not very transparent about what they are are doing to people. Especially those that don't have many computer skills.

We are more than 15 years into a continuous and daily use of the internet, and all the technology that encompasses that usage. My goodness, common sense tells you if YOU can see it on the screen, then somebody else can see it. You put personal information on the internet every time you hit the "submit" button on 285 Bound. You hit "submit" and a slew of information passes between you and the 285 Bound server (and any other server that you information bounces off of). You pass your dynamic (or static) Internet Provider address, information that can target your general location information. Every server that your message passes through saves entries in logs of the movement of those packets of information. You leave an electronic paper trail every time you click on a link. This shouldn't be a mystery to anyone anymore.

Knowing your IP address is not that big of an issue. Sure the authorities might be able to find you. But facebook is making you feel secure sometimes thinking that just your friends see this info. At least it is a bit more straight forward on a message board.

CinnamonGirl wrote:

The Liberals GOP Twin wrote:

CinnamonGirl wrote: I think the problem on my end is so few people realize that you should not be putting personal info on a website ANYWHERE. However Facebook is so awful to their users and make is to confusing that half of them or more don't even know what is showing up. I know that it is a cool tool for friends but they are not very transparent about what they are are doing to people. Especially those that don't have many computer skills.

We are more than 15 years into a continuous and daily use of the internet, and all the technology that encompasses that usage. My goodness, common sense tells you if YOU can see it on the screen, then somebody else can see it. You put personal information on the internet every time you hit the "submit" button on 285 Bound. You hit "submit" and a slew of information passes between you and the 285 Bound server (and any other server that you information bounces off of). You pass your dynamic (or static) Internet Provider address, information that can target your general location information. Every server that your message passes through saves entries in logs of the movement of those packets of information. You leave an electronic paper trail every time you click on a link. This shouldn't be a mystery to anyone anymore.

Knowing your IP address is not that big of an issue. Sure the authorities might be able to find you. But facebook is making you feel secure sometimes thinking that just your friends see this info. At least it is a bit more straight forward on a message board.

How does Facebook "make you feel secure sometimes thinking that just your friends see this info." ?

Because they have "settings" that supposedly keep it off the rest of the internet. They hold all the info forever.