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How Police Track Critics on Twitter
Some experts are questioning how police track critics on Twitter. The question is, how can the police be sure that they are not tracking critical posts? The answer may lie in the large volume of data collected. One recent study analyzed tweets sent by the LAPD chief during his trial. The software gathered nearly two million tweets. Most of the tweets captured were not mainstream media articles, but private civilian opinions. The program flagged posts by critics calling for the chief’s “resign” and celebrity posts, such as Common’s tweets on racism in America. But experts doubt whether such a database is effective.
Unofficial police accounts
China has a new way to target critics of its government on the internet: by using unofficial police accounts. The Chinese government has been putting up numerous accounts on international social media, mainly Twitter. The accounts have been used to track dissidents both inside and outside of China. On the same subject : Can My Facebook Posts Automatically Post to Twitter?. The authorities have also been using sophisticated technological methods, including databases and investigation software. These methods are sometimes used against foreigners, too. Among these targets are Chinese nationals living outside of China, including those who may be critical of the Chinese government.
BlueJay
How police track critics on Twitter is a growing concern, especially as the number of social media users increases exponentially every year. Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, and the Plain View Project used a combination of publicly available data, URLs, photographs, badge numbers, and other identifying information to identify officers. They identified officers who posted content that was problematic or criticized the department. For example, sheriff’s deputy Robert Bedgood posted a photo of his vehicle with a decal covering it. In his reply, he praised the photo, but refused to speak to journalists. The researchers identified about 1 in 5 police officers using a combination of profile information, photos, URLs, and other identifying information. Many of these officers had common names and didn’t even have Facebook profiles, but they were identified through their posts.
Researchers at the Plain View Project have also identified posts by police officers on Facebook. They then shared their research with the nonprofit Injustice Watch, which noted that many of the officers who posted offensive content were facing allegations of brutality, civil rights violations, and other offenses. On the same subject : How to Know When to Post on Twitter. Of these officers, 138 faced federal civil rights lawsuits; nineteen of them resulted in a settlement or verdict. The data from both of these projects can be found here.
SnapTrends
The company that sells surveillance software for police departments has recently come under fire for purchasing the program without the knowledge of the Metro Council. The city’s rules require that purchases over $20,000 be accompanied by a Professional Service Contract. On the same subject : Who is the Racist Royal Twitter?. Instead, LMPD made four separate payments to SnapTrends, ranging from $19,500 to $53,000. Councilwoman Angela Leet questioned the legitimacy of this purchase.
Facebook has cut ties with the company, saying it violated its terms of service. Some companies like SnapTrends, which claims to serve public safety organizations and national intelligence agencies, have discontinued selling their services to government entities. They have since refocused their attention to their corporate business. Although they claim to be a secure service, some critics have expressed concerns about how police can use it.
While many people view social media surveillance as a means of vacuuming public information, the reality is much different. For one, police do not have to obtain a warrant before using SnapTrends, although many jurisdictions do require law enforcement officials to access cell phone provider data. And there are no limits on the length of time they can store this information. It is a legitimate concern, but there are other concerns.
Edge NPD
An anonymous US government agency connected Edge NPD software to the LAPD for strategic communications and public safety. The goal of the project was to identify disruptive social media activity and respond accordingly. Edge NPD provided the LAPD with a dashboard that monitors six topics. This included protests, racial tensions, and political issues. Edge NPD software enables police to identify critics, as well as their supporters and followers, and flag them for action.
The service was free for the LAPD to use and was designed to demonstrate its capabilities and detect potentially dangerous situations. It identifies more than a dozen Twitter threats, and provides examples of possible threats, including tweets about protest clashes and celebrations by Dodgers fans. It also flags disinformation, false claims, and online narratives. The company claims that it uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify threats, but the LAPD is skeptical.
