The Pentagon is preparing to launch a new program to surveil service members’ social media accounts for “concerning behavior.”
In the past the Pentagon has not spied on troops due to privacy concerns, along with First Amendment protections.
However, the Pentagon has found if they use a private firm to surveil the service members they can technically get around the First Amendment restrictions.
The Defense Department’s documents regarding the new program were first reviewed by The Intercept.
Apparently the program “will use keywords to identify potential extremists.”
Here’s more from NY Post:
The Pentagon is planning on launching a program that would screen military personnel’s social media for “extremist material” — looking to retain a private firm to do the digging in order to circumvent First Amendment protections, according to a report.
Internal Defense Department documents reviewed by The Intercept reveal that Bishop Garrison, a senior advisor to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin tasked with addressing “extremism” in the armed forces, is currently in the process of designing a social media screening program which will “continuously” monitor for “concerning behaviors.”
The news comes several months after the January 6th riot which thrust the issue of “extremism” in the military into the spotlight.
Last month the Pentagon ordered several other steps to weed out radicalism from the troops.
The Pentagon’s new efforts targeting extremism have drawn backlash from many past and current military members.
While a number of those who attended the Jan. 6 riot did have a military background, critics claim the number was very small in proportion to everybody who was at the Capitol that day.