In 2021, there is no denying that the United States is a full-on surveillance state. The Biden Administration attempts to remove all pretense of privacy with its new consideration to use outside firms to track “extremist” chatter by American citizens online. But what exactly is an “extremist?” According to Tulsi Gabbard, recent efforts essentially criminalize half the country:
“It’s so dangerous as you guys have been talking about, this is an issue that all Democrats, Republicans, independents, Libertarians should be extremely concerned about, especially because we don’t have to guess about where this goes or how this ends,” Gabbard said.
She continued: “When you have people like former CIA Director John Brennan openly talking about how he’s spoken with or heard from appointees and nominees in the Biden administration who are already starting to look across our country for these types of movements similar to the insurgencies they’ve seen overseas, that in his words, he says make up this unholy alliance of religious extremists, racists, bigots, he lists a few others and at the end, even libertarians.” (source)
(So basically, if you’re reading this website, you’re probably an “extremist” in someone’s point of view.)
New efforts to spy on Americans
Their effort would expand the ability of intelligence agencies to gather information (spy) on American citizens.
Currently, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is limited on how it can monitor citizens online. For example, it is banned from assuming false identities to gain access to private messaging apps used by citizens without justification.
Instead, according to the law (but not necessarily in practice), federal agencies can only browse through unprotected information on social media sites. A source familiar with Biden’s effort said it is not about decrypting data. Instead, it is about using outside entities to access these private groups legally to gather large amounts of information that would help DHS identify “key narratives as they emerge.”
Note: Some of these outside entities are used by what the administration considers “extremists.” (Such as the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys.)
The Department of Homeland Security claims they are doing no such thing
According to multiple sources cited by CNN, the plan would allow the DHS to make an end-run around those limits. In response to CNN, DHS said it “is not partnering with private firms to surveil suspected domestic terrorists online” and “it is blatantly false” to suggest that it would do so.
“All of our work to address the threat of domestic terrorism is done consistent with the Constitution and other applicable law, and in close coordination with our privacy and civil liberties experts,” the DHS statement added.
But the department has considered partnering with research firms that have more visibility and reach in this area. However, it has not done so yet, according to the sources. And do recall that they recently wanted to outlaw encrypted apps.
Suppose that does happen (and we have every reason to suspect it already has). In that case, DHS could produce information that would be helpful to it and the FBI, CIA, and NSA in its ability to spy on American citizens not committing any crimes.
“Narratives” that might lead to violence justify domestic spying?
CNN unintentionally explains the reason for the Biden Admin’s new focus on these messaging platforms when it writes:
Much of the planning for the Capitol Hill riot appeared out in the open on social media platforms and encrypted apps available to anyone with an internet connection. The DHS is trying to get a better sense of “narratives” that might lead to violence as they emerge across those channels, according to two DHS officials.
But tracking those narratives, particularly in the wake of January 6, increasingly requires access to private groups on encrypted apps as extremist groups migrate from more forward-facing sites like Facebook.
By the time narratives appear on Facebook, it is usually too late, one DHS official told CNN.
“Domestic violent extremists are adaptive and innovative. We see them not only moving to encrypted platforms but obviously couching their language so they don’t trigger any kind of red flag on any platforms,” the official added.
Outsourcing some information gathering to outside firms would give DHS the benefit of tactics that it isn’t legally able to do in-house, such as using false personas to gain access to private groups used by suspected extremists, sources say. Of course, China is already spying on millions of Americans.
Isn’t domestic spying a violation of our Constitutional Rights?
CNN continues by writing:
The department is also working on expanding its ability to collect information from public-facing social media sites where users’ posts offered clear warning signs about potential violence ahead of the January 6 attack, but were either ignored or underestimated by security officials prior to that date.
But any effort by the intelligence community to wade into the murky area of domestic spying is fraught with political risks, current and former officials say.
Gathering information on US citizens — no matter how abhorrent their beliefs — raises instant constitutional and legal challenges. Civil liberties advocates and privacy hawks have long criticized any efforts to collect even publicly available information on Americans in bulk as a violation of Americans’ First and Fourth Amendment rights.
The growing surveillance state and expanding government spying is the ultimate issue
Notice what is being considered “extreme” by the administration and DHS. It is not BLM or Antifa who have been tearing apart and burning American cities to the ground but right-leaning and even “Constitutionalist” groups targeted.
In the hands of the radical left, the US government is moving once again against one side in the American culture war, empowering the opposing side. (The same side that terrorized innocent Americans.)
For those on the left who support the crackdown on the right-wing and what they see as white supremacy, they need only wait until they have outlived their usefulness. Or until a right-wing administration takes over. When one gets purged it leads the way for others to be purged. Then they will come to realize why government overreach is a danger to everyone and not a force to be wielded lightly.
How much more intense do you expect the spying to become?
Do you think we’re just at the tip of the iceberg for government surveillance? What do you think they’re doing that we don’t yet know about? Are you taking any steps to protect yourself from being spied upon? Let’s talk about it in the comments.
About Robert
Robert Wheeler has been quietly researching world events for two decades. After witnessing the global network of NGOs and several ‘Revolutions’ they engineered in a number of different countries, Wheeler began analyzing current events through these lenses.
Only psychopaths are so paranoid that they need surveillance on everyone coz they afraid that everyone is as evil as they are.
Psychopathic criminals are paranoid because they know how God’s justice works… The Law of 3 Fold avoids no one
Even a little mouse, when pushed into a corner by an aggressor, will fight to defend it’s life. Should a Government take the rights away from a formerly Free People, they may get the same reaction from some.
I am a Christian prepper, who does that endanger?
“I am a Christian prepper, who does that endanger?”
it’s not about endangerment. it’s about eliminating everything that is not them or theirs. they hate you. because you are not them.
People are confused by hate because it is not common for most of us to hate. It takes us by surprise. But yes, they do hate us. They hate each other less, and they just hate us more.
“I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies” ps 139:22
I can’t believe either DHS or CNN so….
Is It Still Unconstitutional If the Govt. OUTSOURCES Spying on Citizens?”
for the ones presently in control of the government, THEY are the constitution, so by definition nothing they do is unconstitutional.
“After All, They’re Only Surveilling ‘Extremists.’”
in their minds it’s all tribal warfare. “extremist” is just another macro for “not us or under our direct control”.
Yes, indeed, it’s unconstitutional for the US Gov. to outsource spying on US citizens. It’s bad enough that our own Intelligence agencies spy on us; but outsourcing surveillance to God knows who’s an abomination – it’s a gross violation of the 4th Amendment and they know it.
Actually, the CIA’s been banned from domestic spying since its inception in 1947, and it still is. No foreign Intelligence agencies are allowed to spy on US citizens as well, and the US Government’s banned from outsourcing domestic spying as well.
“it’s a gross violation of the 4th Amendment and they know it”
they don’t care about the fourth amendment. to them it’s nothing more than chicken scratching, and anyone complaining about it is nothing more than dogs barking.
“OUTSOURCES”
heh. they’re not outsourcing anything. they’re handing the job over to their relatives who are in a position to do it. they’re all “insiders”.
Encrypt your hard dive and BIOS.
Use complex passwords.
Use a encrypted VPN.
Encrypt your emails, text messages, even if it is about what is for dinner tonight.
Dont use Big Tech applications, software, social media.
all of this misses the point. they’re not assembling a black list of illegitimate entities, a list of who has done wrong. they’re assembling a white list of legitimate entities, a list of who is defined as being right or as being under the control of one who is defined as being right – anyone/thing not on the white list will be defined as illegitimate and dealt with as such. it won’t be enough to “stay out of trouble”, you will be required to actively serve them and their interests.
Robert Wheeler said,
“Are you taking any steps to protect yourself from being spied upon?”
Those were my suggestions.
Reading comprehension is not your strong point.
And stop commenting on what I say. I DO NOT want to be associated with a known racist and anti-Semite.
“And stop commenting on what I say”
don’t take it personally, I don’t look at who posts. I’m just illuminating a relevant point regardless of who posts it.
STOP REPLYING TO WHAT I POST!
I DO NOT WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH A KNOWN RACIST AND ANTI-SEMITE!!!
“Dont use Big Tech applications, software, social media.”
Sometimes we don’t have a choice.
For my work, some of my software runs only on Windows™, therefore I have a computer that runs Windows™ 10.
Some of my software runs only on Mac, so again I have a Mac.
Both of those can be cracked, so I consider them to be vulnerable.
When I don’t want to be tracked, I use Linux, the browser is Brave browsing through TOR. Clean out cookies on a regular basis, as well as an automatic cleaning of cookies and history upon closing.
Use Libra Office for Word Processing, and other office tasks.
Those are your basics.
Be careful on what you say on open fora like this.
For me, unfortunately, I started online back in the days when everything was open—no spam, no tracking, no online identity theft, when many of the sites were still just bulletin boards. Back in the days of text-based browsers. Now if I totally disappear, it will raise suspicions.
My biggest frustration is that none of those with whom I communicate via email see the need for encrypted communications.
“none of those with whom I communicate via email see the need for encrypted communications”
doesn’t matter, it’s all pre-hacked anyway. just talk about nice things with them.
Where can we find info about encrypting everything?
Join the OP forum: https://forum.theorganicprepper.com/.
Do a intro of yourself, and I will PM you some info and links
This is part of THEIR satanic agenda, (2030 – that ole Jack Dorsey so loves, as well as Gates, Soros, the British Royals, etc.)… To demonize the majority of law abiding Humanity for our ‘Freedom of Thought’, our, LOVE of FREEDOM in general. THEY, (along with THEIR controller’s/masters) – HATE us and as per THEIR ‘Georgia Guidestones’ -10 guidelines, replacing the 10 Commandments, which states as follows, (see also https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/georgia-guidestones) :
Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature.
– Rule passion – faith – tradition – and all things with tempered reason.
– Balance personal rights with social duties.
– Be not a cancer on the earth – Leave room for nature.
It is illegal to murder someone, even if you hire a third party to accomplish the deed. Any clear minded judge would see the correlation.
no no, it’s illegal for YOU to murder someone. for them, not so much. a clear minded judge will be fully aware of THAT.
I can see that we are back to old school narratives: typewriters, dead drops, foreign languages, secret code words, etc. The folks in District of Criminals are all psychopaths and narcissistic. This proves that intelligence and a plethra of degrees have nothing to do with one another. Paranoia is the new normal. What a sad world that our country has descended into.
“back to old school narratives: typewriters”
that’s what russian intel has done – all documentation is done with manual typewriters now
Sadly, the rules are what those in power say the rules are. This is our reward for years of voting the lesser evil into power. The lesser evil is still evil, and evil people do evil things. At this point I see no difference between the two major parties. They both want power and control, along with more power and more control. And they’re getting it.
The time to prepare for this was yesterday, but some things are still easy to do.
First, read Edward Snowden’s book or watch some of his interviews. Whether you agree with what he did or not, the things he reveals will blow your faith in our government giving a damn about our privacy. Or who uses the data.
Some ideas–Try to use the public library computers to research topics that might trigger attention. Most libraries just ask you to sign in, can’t reveal your data and don’t assign any particular terminal.
Always remember to erase history and clear documents if you downloaded to a thumb drive or printed.
An important purchase– a high quality anti-tracking pouch for your phone (like this one from Arthur Bradley
https://disasterpreparer.com/product/anti-tracking-emf-blocking-pouch/ .
(He also sells Faraday supplies like EMP gaskets for garbage cans,etc.)
Have you already bought a burner phone, paid for in cash (not near your home) for when it feels like things are getting truly scary? A Master Card gift card (again in cash) to pay for minutes etc?
The pouch again provides privacy.
Did you get Ham radios for info (listening in does not require a license). Get the channel info from local police, fire and ambulance companies.
Your car? Do you know whether it is connected or not?
None of this is fail safe but, every layer you put on (or digital signal you don’t put out) makes you less attention worthy.
This has been a serious and frequent topic with my niece and me–she is a newly minted IP lawyer with a huge and very high powered NYC law firm. While she can’t tell me any details on what she works on I sense from her questions to me (she knows I prep) and growing paranoia that she is seeing some trends that as she says “have her scared sh*tl*ss”. (Got her an anti tracking pouch for her Birthday–she’s ecstatic! )
“Ham radios”
and shortwave.
“makes you less attention worthy”
there are two ways to be flagged in a data base scan. 1) trigger data that is present, and 2) expected data that is absent. human nature focuses on data that exists, but data that doesn’t exist can be a wealth of indication.
To add insult to injury, the NICS information that gun owners provide when purchasing a gun is now being sent to Interpol.
Sounds like their way to bypass the U.S. law that says they can’t keep the information.
Is anyone really surprised?
Its scarry, like going back to childhood. Daddy worked in WDC long before WWII. I was born in the city of everyones idiots. You know where every state sends their choosen representatives. An insane place left many decades in the rearview. My great excitement was rasing a family, helping pastor native and black churches, and running a K-12 mission school aiming to see reservation kids in colleges or universities. We saw many make it.
I lived to fly under the radar. I never wanted a lot of attention but always seems to get some attention. I’d still rather just live a quiet life.
Hate to see the slide downhill. Doesn’t seem to be a lader to climb back out of the pit.
But I can wish.
“Doesn’t seem to be a lader to climb back out of the pit”
you can help the next generation to learn to climb out. rome wasn’t rebuilt in a day.
Time to pressure the states. Fedgov n-American activities have no business in any of the 50 states! Give the tyrannical agencies the boot!
bulk data collection, especially electronic has happened since the 1980’s.
i don’t care that they are spying, i know they always have. i don’t trust governments. they exist only to accumulate and wield power over their citizens up to the point of totalitarianism. do not assume they are doing anything for your benefit, you will be disappointed.
the government turns a blind eye to the riots, violence and censorship being perpetuated by leftists but claims the right wing extremists, veterans and lovers of freedom are the greatest threat to America.
yea, right.
I am a potential extremist, but I make an effort to avoid behaviors that would likely trigger an investigation. I also make an effort to avoid admitting any potential intent. And, I’ve set “ground rules” for myself to prevent acting too early. (Like “If water has not been supplied by a utility in my locale, and water supplying was a standard in my locale, I need to start collecting water.” I envision a more extreme version, but I can’t expect either “hoarding and no shipments” or ‘Mad Max’ levels of dystopia to be triggers. The latter because “it’s too late”; the former because “initial hoarding behavior” is just the initial panic of any crisis – the longer term systemic failure is the sign that “SHTF” >>> Apocalypse.)
But, yes, it’s still unconstitutional to spy, even if outsourced, because rule of law still holds and the law says it’s unconstitutional. I think outsourcing it is even more unconstitutional, because we can expect the NSA or CIA to spy (an expectation of most governments, especially if a potential for warlike results is expected), but not private companies.
You make me laugh Robert Wheeler. Thank You for great article BTW.
But the left will never
“come to realize why government overreach is a danger to everyone and not a force to be wielded lightly.” – Very funny.
Government overreach is what the left is all about by definition. The exact opposite of the right.
Look up Karl Marx who advocated for “the dictatorship of the proletariat”.
Communists/socialists/Marxists/Antifa/Karl Marx/democrats are mentally incapable of learning from history that “government overreach is a danger to everyone”. For them “government overreach” is the only way they can achieve their Utopian dreams of a perfect world. An oxymoron, but these people are morons.
“Communists/socialists/Marxists/Antifa/Karl Marx/democrats are mentally incapable of learning from history that ‘government overreach is a danger to everyone’ … these people are morons.”
no-one is a moron.
they obviously think it’s safe for themselves. so, why do they think that?
Why are morons, morons is what you are asking? Like I said, they are morons because they are “mentally incapable of learning from history that ‘government overreach is a danger to everyone”.
“why do they think that” It is part of their nature. They are “mentally incapable of learning from history”. People say Karl Marx was a student of history yet he seemed to have missed the part of history that shows over and over again that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. And that benign dictator is an oxymoron. Look up the Magna Carta. Why don’t we have kings wielding absolute power any more.
If you want to really want to know “why do they think that”. Ask them and report back here. More than likely if you are able to get them to reply, they will just say because they believe it will be some how different this time. Some people can’t do math no matter how hard you try and teach them. And some people are “mentally incapable of learning from history”.
“missed the part of history that shows over and over again that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
he didn’t miss that part at all. he sought to achieve it. the people behind this aren’t morons, they’re fully aware of history – more than you because they have the insider’s view of it – and they know exactly what they’re doing and how to go about it, and part of that is to mislead you into thinking they’re just morons.
You didn’t understand my post. Apparently I wasn’t clear enough.
Like I said before the communists/socialists/Marxists/Antifa/Karl Marx/democrats are morons“ because they believe “government overreach” is the only way they can achieve their Utopian dreams of a perfect world. History has shown that the Stalins, Hitlers, Lenins, Pol Pots, Mao Tse-Tungs… deliver instead of utopia they deliver nightmare dystopias with millions of dead. Totalitarian regimes with vastly curtailed freedoms of every kind.
You say “the people behind this aren’t morons”. I wasn’t referring to the Stalins, Hitlers, Lenins, Pol Pots, Mao Tse-Tungs aka globalists “behind this”. I was referring to their millions of followers who actually believe they will be delivered in to the promised land and live happily ever after. In other words I was referring to the “useful idiots” not the “the people behind this” who are not morons. I hope that is clear now.
As far as Karl Marx goes when you say “he didn’t miss that part at all. he sought to achieve it.”. You clearly haven’t read his manifesto or read it and did not understand it. Karl Marx advocated for “the dictatorship of the proletariat”. His goal was to replace the ruling bourgeoisie minority class with the majority proletarian class. He believed the bourgeoisie class was abusing the power over the proletarian class and he wanted to replace them with his form of government namely “the dictatorship of the proletariat”. In other words the majority class would govern for the benefit of the majority. Sounds great on paper. But history has clearly shown that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. In the communist/socialist form of government the majority proletariat class is always lead by a minority class. The communist party. Because the real power of government is centralized in a minority class not the majority class then like night follows day abuses of power follows. Instead of ruling for the benefit of the majority they rule for their benefit and seek to consolidate as much power as possible to ensure their permanent rulership. This is why the fantasy utopia you hear Marxists refer to as “real communism” is never achieved and can never be achieved. It is because Karl Marx’s ideas are fundamentally flawed. Karl Marx gets an F grade for failing world history
See also the “Critique of the Gotha Programme” for more on the “dictatorship of the proletariat.”
That is the best response I have heard on this topic!Period.Well said!
Is it illegal to hire someone to do your killing for you? Paying someone else to do your dirty work for you has always been illegal.
Matters not if it’s outsourced to a private contractor it’s sill the government doing it.
To think our tax dollae$ are being used against us to our own demise.
The government works for us and cannot do what ever they want to us, The United States of America Constitution is an Iron clad contract with the Citizens and enforceable in a court of law.
There are rules the court must follow that most do know about and court rulings and most lawyers will not use these in your defense in a court of law. Too much to go into here as it would take me two or three pages to post it all here.
Funny – After All, They’re Only Surveilling “Extremists”
it really is hilarious – cause the extremists are the ones actually hiring the literal poor people, gang-bangers, felons, etc to spy, (i mean) ‘surveil’ the normal americans.
any american who has been cross-ways with a muslim, felon, lazy give-me i deserve welfare recipient, illegal alien, etc is automatically being watched and monitored by the fusion centers.
and most americans have no idea what is happening with the ‘fema fusion centers’ and that they are being watched — because those welfare recipients and jailbirds deserve what you have worked all your life for, they are better amerikans than you and they know it.