“Some of the most notable changes apply to the lowest category of investigations, called an “assessment.” The category, created in December 2008, allows agents to look into people and organizations “proactively” and without firm evidence for suspecting criminal or terrorist activity.”
This seems more like the role that the press/media should be playing. This seems “tabloidish.”
This will probably be used in political ways more than crime fighting ways. And it will probably target extremist groups such as the Amish.
However, "field agents" in the FBI and other investigative bodies had been restricted from reading the internet the same way they might read a newspaper. Didn't mean others at FBI and in various federal agencies couldn't do that but the "field agents" themselves had to get administrative warrants to do so.
BTW, net cruising had to be done outside the framework of the agencies own internet setup so government files were not subject to penetration.
There's really nothing new here unless, of course, you don't think of the internet as the press.