Posted on 09/15/2009 11:54:02 PM PDT by Tulsa Ramjet
The White House is collecting and storing comments and videos placed on its social-networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube without notifying or asking the consent of the site users, a failure that appears to run counter to President Obama's promise of a transparent government and his pledge to protect privacy on the Internet.
Defenders of the White House actions said the Presidential Records Act requires that the administration gather the information and that it was justified in taking the additional step of asking a private contractor to "crawl and archive" all such material. Nicholas Shapiro, a White House spokesman, declined to say when the practice began or how much the new contract would cost.
In a June 5, 2008, article in PC Magazine, Mr. Obama said, "The open information platforms of the 21st century can also tempt institutions to violate the privacy of citizens. We need sensible safeguards that protect privacy in this dynamic new world."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
“Nearly all children nowadays were horrible. What was worst of all was that by means of such organizations as the Spies they were systematically turned into ungovernable little savages, and yet this produced in them no tendency whatever to rebel against the discipline of the Party. On the contrary, they adored the Party and everything connected with it... All their ferocity was turned outwards, against the enemies of the State, against foreigners, traitors, saboteurs, thought-criminals. It was almost normal for people over thirty to be frightened of their own children.”
- George Orwell, 1984, Book 1, Chapter 2
“Nicholas Shapiro, a White House spokesman, declined to say when the practice began or how much the new contract would cost.”
Such gall. I wonder if any conservative leaders will have the temerity to speak out on such matters? Glen Beck is the last man standing.
How many laws is the White House breaking here, not that it really matters anymore...
How does the Presidential records act apply to information posted by private citizens on web sites that are not part of the federal government?
At least the White House’s motives are transparent.
Yet another Out-of-Control-Government Bookmark
Exactly why I’ve resisted the temptation to send email to the WH, or to visit any website where they have a presence.
...;0)
This should be challenged in court. The U.S. Supreme Court would strike this one down.
Could this activity be covered by the continuation of the George Bush FISA legislation that was renewed by congress sometime toward the end of his last administration.
Toward FREEDOM!!!!
The data is compiled and analyzed to figure out how people react to certain speeches, methods of deliveries, word choices, etc. The personal data being collected is for the demographic analysis so they can assign race, wealth and geographical values to the data.
All that information is then used to craft better lies. There really is no other reason for it.
BHO Big Brother is watching you!!!
Makes me wonder if they are collecting data here on FR? I’d bet on it!
I think it’s safe to assume they at least have someone monitoring FR.
I’d bet on it too. They’d be foolish not to at least monitor the site as it is a window into mainstream conservative America.
Me too. I was not afraid to do so before this administration.
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