A disturbing story was posted to MSNBC today suggesting that two British tourists heading to Hollywood were intercepted at the customs and deported after a night in custody, based on a couple of misunderstood tweets they had made several days before their trip. This would seem to indicate that the US Govt. is monitoring all internet activity for keywords, and tying these keywords to individuals on whom they compile actionable dossiers.
If this isn't giving anyone pause for concern, I don't know what will. This ability to collect and analyze everything said online by everyone, analyze, compare to transactions and travel bookings, and then intercept the originator of a posting seems ripe for rampant abuse.
Yes most in here trust a Democratic President but what becomes of these powers when they are wielded by a right winger ?
http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/...
According to the Sun and the Daily Mail — daily tabloids published in the United Kingdom — a handful of ominous-sounding Twitter jokes got 26-year-old Leigh Van Bryan and 24-year-old Emily Bunting kicked out of the United States before they could even begin their long-awaited vacation.
Before the two British tourists flew into Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) last week, Leigh posted several Twitter messages about their trip, reports the Sun. In one tweet, addressed to a fellow Twitter user who goes by "@MelissaxWalton," he wrote "free this week for a quick gossip/prep before I go and destroy America?"
In another Twitter post he announced "3 weeks today, we're totally in LA p**** people off on Hollywood Blvd and diggin' Marilyn Monroe up!" He tagged a Twitter user named "@ELB_1987" in that message.
Notably to "destroy" something in English slang means to party, like an idiot. Generally, to get drunk and act like a fool. Now if every American that promised to party and get drunk while in Europe was arrested and detained overnight on the strength of a mis-interpreted tweet or blog post, you could imagine the reaction.
Now, I could understand a flag being raised about the word "destroy" (oops this blog will probably get me flagged), however, never minding the surveillance concerns, couldn't this have been raised at the UK airport ? These two now face the standard 10 year travel ban ICE hands out to deportees. Secondly, wouldn't it seem reasonable to assess the tweet in the context of differences in language, and, upon interviewing the tourists, shouldn't customs have determined these two didn't really pose a risk ? Am I asking too much ?
Despite telling officials the term 'destroy' was British slang for 'party', they were held on suspicion of planning to 'commit crimes' and had their passports confiscated. ... Federal agents even searched [Bryan's] suitcase looking for spades and shovels, claiming [Bunting] was planning to act as [Bryan's] 'look out' while he raided Marilyn's tomb.
The two were quizzed for five hours before being "put in a van with illegal immigrants and locked up overnight," writes the Sun. They were then kept in separate holding cells for 12 hours before being put on a flight home.
This is nuts.
The Daily Mail:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/...
Leigh Van Bryan, 26, was handcuffed and kept under armed guard in a cell with Mexican drug dealers for 12 hours after landing in Los Angeles with pal Emily Bunting.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/...
'They asked why we wanted to destroy America and we tried to explain it meant to get trashed and party. 'I almost burst out laughing when they asked me if I was going to be Leigh's lookout while he dug up Marilyn Monroe. 'I couldn't believe it because it was a quote from the comedy Family Guy which is an American show.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/...
Honestly, this harms our reputation with our allies, harms desperately needed income and jobs in the tourist trade, and casts a chilling cloud over the extent of snooping and cataloging the US Govt is currently involved in.
Breathtaking.