• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Jobs
  • Career
    • Cyber Security Training
    • Work from Home
    • Cyber Security Analyst
    • Remote Work – Six Ways to Keep Your Data Safe When Working Remotely
  • Field Guide
  • Newsletter Signup
  • Deals
  • News
AskCyberSecurity.com

AskCyberSecurity.com

Cyber Security News & Information

  • Home
  • Data Privacy
    • Gamers
    • Government Cyber Security
      • Legislation
      • Standards
        • What are the risks of computer security?
        • Medical Cyber Security
    • Social Media
  • Security
    • Data Breaches
    • Scams
    • Malware
  • Software
    • Apps
    • Web Browsers
  • Glossary
    • Cyber Security Acronyms
  • About Ask Cyber Security
    • Authors
    • Contact Us
  • VPN
    • How Do I Know If My VPN is Working?
    • Best Free VPN iPhone
    • Why Use a VPN?
    • NordVPN vs IPVanish
    • Private Internet Access Download
    • Best VPN for Streaming
      • TikTok VPN
    • VPN Porn
    • Computer Security Software – What You Really Need
  • Tutorials
  • ChatGPT
    • Does ChatGPT Save Data?
AskCyber Home » News » data privacy » Pentagon Denies Surveilling Troops

Pentagon Denies Surveilling Troops

2021-05-20 by Grace Choi

Pentagon Press Secretary Says ‘The Intercept’ is Misreporting

Ken Klippenstein, a reporter at The Intercept, is accused of “misreporting” after writing an article that stated that the extremism working group was planning on awarding a contract with a private surveillance firm to look into military personnel’s social media accounts for extremist activity. According to Pentagon Press Secretary and Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs John Kirby, there is no such pilot program in the works.

The Intercept Interprets CEWG Commission

The Countering Extremism Working Group (CEWG) was established in early April 2021 as a counterterrorism endeavor by the Department of Defense. Led by Bishop Garrison, the group is tasked with overseeing extremist activity, and such activity in the military has been a challenge. According to Ken Klippenstein, Bishop Garrison and the extremist working group have been designing a social media screening pilot program to monitor military personnel for “concerning behaviors.” The article states that the group is looking to hire Babel Street as a private contractor to conduct surveillance. Babel Street is known and scrutinized for purchasing bulk cellular location data to sell to federal security agencies who want to bypass warrant requirements.

SEE ALSO US House Approves Mass Internet Surveillance Law

However, John Kirby has denied these claims and insists that Klippenstein has misreported on the subject. He states: “There is no pilot program being run by Mr. Garrison or the extremist working group to examine social media.” He also denies that Babel Street is under contract with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to carry out social media surveillance. According to Kirby, the military already vets potential recruits with a social media screening as part of their recruitment process.

The April 9th notice addressed concerns that it is too easy for individuals to post or interact with social media content under an alias, thus directing the DoD to find ways to screen publicly available information before hiring people into the military or any other national security positions.

SEE ALSO ICE Facial Recognition Searches Use All Maryland Drivers’ Photos

Who is Telling the Truth?

The disparity between The Intercept’s article and Kirby’s statements originate from this line, which is included in the April memo: “The LOE (line of effort) will make recommendations on further development of such capabilities and incorporating algorithms and additional processing into social media screening platforms.”

The Intercept maintains their position on the interpretation of the memo; that “incorporating algorithms and additional processing into social media screening platforms” is what a social media surveillance pilot program would entail. The government does not necessarily need a person’s login information to monitor their public activity, but how they would monitor those with private accounts is another story. It seems that successful monitoring for extremist activity or “concerning behaviors” would be more complex than running a public search for information, raising a concern for First Amendment violations as well as privacy violations.

It is also important to note a distinction between a program being actively designed and the potential for such a program. If Kirby’s statements are true, it does not mean that there will not be a surveillance pilot program in the future, as publicly available information is limited, and illicit or undesirable activity is often conducted in private.

Filed Under: data privacy

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Our Free Newsletter

We Don't Share or Sell Your Info

Web Browsers

Where Are My Saved Passwords in Chrome?

Google Removes 70 Malicious Browser Add-ons from Chrome Web Store

Firefox 75 Reports Your Browser Settings to Mozilla

Categories

Cyber Security Field Guide

Computer Security While TravelingGet Our Cyber Security Field Guide - Available on Amazon!

Recent Posts

Security Marketing Manager – Remote

Sr. Associate, Cybersecurity Architect – Pfizer

Strategic Customer Success Manager – Cybersecurity – Opportunity for Working Remotely

Top 20 Passwords Leaked on Dark Web

ISU Cybersecurity Leader Job Opening

Cyber Security News

Top 20 Passwords Leaked on Dark Web

… [Read More...] about Top 20 Passwords Leaked on Dark Web

Apple Warns of Actively Exploited Zero-Day Flaw

… [Read More...] about Apple Warns of Actively Exploited Zero-Day Flaw

IRS Stops Facial Recognition System for Online Access

… [Read More...] about IRS Stops Facial Recognition System for Online Access

National Cybersecurity Alliance Announces Data Privacy Week

… [Read More...] about National Cybersecurity Alliance Announces Data Privacy Week

More Cyber Security News

Tags

amazon Android Apple bitcoin China chrome CISA credit card DarkSide DHS DOJ Equifax Europe Facebook facial recognition FBI Firefox FTC games GDPR Google Government hacker identity theft India iPhone Iran IRS LinkedIn Microsoft North Korea PayPal phishing phishing email ransomware REvil Russia smartphone T-Mobile TikTok tutorial VPN WhatsApp WiFi Windows

Government

CBP Looks to Access Airline Passenger Data

FTC Releases Cyber Threat Video Playlist

Malware Found on US Government Funded Phones

UK NCA Reaches Out to Youth to Deter Cybercrimes

More Posts from this Category

Footer

Menu

  • Home
  • About
  • Authors
  • Newsletter Signup
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Search

Why Use a VPN?

NordVPN vs IPVanish VPN Review

NAVIGATION

  • Data Breaches
  • Data Privacy
  • Gamers
  • Scams
  • Malware

MEMBER NJCCIC

New Jersey Cybersecurity & Communications Integration Cell

STAY CONNECTED

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Twitter
  • RSS

Copyright © 2023 · AskCyberSecurity.com · METRONY, LLC

Go to mobile version