DHS Monitoring Social Networks For ‘Social Unrest’

Claiming it's triggered by the sudden social upheavals in Tunisia, Libya, and other Middle Eastern Nations, The Department Of Homeland Security has begun monitoring Twitter, Facebook, and other social sites...looking for what it calls 'social unrest.'

DHS is going to be gleaning information from Twitter and Facebook "for law enforcement purposes."   Now, if a terrorist is stupid enough to put it all out on a social networking site, then DHS needs to pay attention to them.  However, DHS has not specified what types of threats they are looking for.  Critics say it's an excuse for DHS and the Federal Government to look for conservative, TEA Party, or other groups who do not agree with Obama, or other aspects of the government and view these groups as a "threat."  This is nothing new, stories of Federal agencies culling the internet for information date back several years.  Accusations of  surveillance groups joining social networks under false pretenses in an attempt to gain information have been common.  Now, there is a difference between obtaining information to deter legitimate terrorist threats; and using such surveillance to learn more about groups that are deemed to be 'anti-government'.   Consider that the Occupy Movement has used facebook to notify, unite and inform it's followers,  wonder if they have come under the same scrutiny as the recent TEA Party rallies and movements.  And for some interesting comments, check out the Occupy Tri Cities movement...when asked what they are protesting, some of the posts/comments are alarming  and just plain weird.