FBI used ‘software tools’ to search social media for election-related talk: analyst

By Free Republic | Created at 2024-11-14 18:28:33 | Updated at 2024-11-22 05:02:22 1 week ago

FBI used ‘software tools’ to search social media for election-related talk: analyst
NY Post ^ | 11/12/24 | Steven Nelson

Posted on 11/14/2024 10:01:09 AM PST by Libloather

WASHINGTON — House Republicans are demanding more information from the FBI about its use of “software tools” to seek out election-related speech on social media after a bureau analyst mentioned their use during a recent deposition — before being barred from saying any more by FBI lawyers.

House Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) told FBI Director Christopher Wray Tuesday to hand over the information as President-elect Donald Trump’s looming return to office creates uncertainty for Wray’s future employment.

“In a transcribed interview… on October 23, 2024, an FBI Criminal Investigative Division Analyst previously assigned to the [Foreign Influence Task Force] disclosed that the FITF uses ‘software tools where [the FBI can] search open-source databases about content indicative of criminal conduct’,” Jordan wrote to Wray in a letter obtained by The Post.

Although the material was described as “open-source,” the search tools are suspected to have been developed in-house.

It’s unclear what social media sites are included in the search or how the information is compiled.

“According to the analyst’s testimony, the FBI uses this tool to monitor social media posts by users, regardless of whether the users are American citizens or foreign actors, to search for ‘content indicative of criminal conduct,'” Jordan wrote.

“The analyst further testified that the FBI shares its findings, such as the specific ‘user name and the content’ of the posts, with social media companies to censor such content accordingly.”

Jordan wrote that “[a]lthough the analyst testified that the FBI uses this tool to pursue ‘criminal conduct,’ when questioned about the nature of the software tool and the scope of the FBI’s use of it, agency counsel repeatedly prevented the analyst from fully answering the Committee’s questions.

“Therefore, we write to obtain additional information in order to understand whether the FBI has or could...

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...

TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; History; Local News
KEYWORDS: fbi; media; privacy; social; socialmedia; software; spying

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1 posted on 11/14/2024 10:01:09 AM PST by Libloather

To: Libloather

No, no no, do not make any further requests from scumbag Wray, he needs to be focused on packing his shi+ for his immenent departure.

After that, he’ll have all the time in the world to focus on requests, subpoenas, testimony, etc.

2 posted on 11/14/2024 10:04:42 AM PST by Bshaw (A nefarious deceit is upon us all!)

To: Libloather

Usually, when I criticize the FBI here, someone rushes to tell me about the overwhelming majority of agents who are good. If those agents are so good, why did they keep silent in the face of all this?

The FBI needs to be burned to the ground.

3 posted on 11/14/2024 10:09:54 AM PST by brownsfan (It's going to take real, serious, hard times to wake the American public.)

To: Libloather

The new FBI mantra: “Show me the man and I will show you the crime.”

4 posted on 11/14/2024 10:15:04 AM PST by Eli Kopter

To: Libloather

Remind me about the FISA Court and having to get a warrant to spy on American citizens and only then if they are being contacted by foreign agents.

Perhaps some penalties for violating this law need to be imposed on various intelligence agencies, such as the FBI. May I suggest jail time, immediate termination of job, permanent being barred from federal employment, loss of pension, and oh yes a very public trial.

5 posted on 11/14/2024 10:23:01 AM PST by Robert357

To: Bshaw

He needs to be set up in a perjury trap or a contempt trap. He should be very familiar with the tactics. He’s destroyed hundreds of lives using the same schemes.

6 posted on 11/14/2024 10:24:35 AM PST by Ex-Con777

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