By SANCHESKA DORSETT
Tribune Staff Reporter
sdorsett@tribunemedia.net
THE Department of Homeland Security will begin monitoring the social media accounts of Caribbean nationals and residents planning to visit the United States this week.
The new policy also covers immigrants who have obtained a green card and naturalized citizens, and will take effect on Oct 18.
The announcement from the Trump regime was published in the Federal Register last month. It will allow DHS to collect information about an immigrant’s Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook accounts, but also mentions all “search results.”
It’s not immediately clear if that means the agency will have access to things such as Google search histories nor is it clear how that would be obtained.
A DHS document published on September 18, says the government will “expand the categories of records” collected “to include ... social media handles, aliases, associated identifiable information and will “update record source categories to include publicly available information obtained from the internet and information obtained and disclosed pursuant to information sharing agreements.” Homeland Security has further stated this collection of data will continue with all immigrant groups and monitoring will stop once a person becomes a citizen. For those looking to apply, are in process of applying, or currently have immigrant status, the DHS statement read, you should be mindful of what you put out on the world wide web.
US monitoring in the Bahamas became a contentious issue in 2014 when a leaked cache of documents revealed the American government was monitoring mobile phone calls in the Bahamas.
The revelations emerged in an article posted on website Firstlook.org., gleaned from a series of documents leaked by NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden.
According to the leaked documents, the NSA was using a system called SOMALGET to collect and store cell phone data, and had been “secretly intercepting, recording and archiving” the audio of every cell phone conversation in the Bahamas and storing these calls for up to 30 days.
Firstlook.org also posted claims that the NSA used a programme called MYSTIC to carry out phone snooping. The codename used for the Bahamas in the documents is Basecoat.
Those documents further claimed the majority of the phone calls were monitored and intercepted shortly before the 2012 general election, during the Ingraham administration’s term in office.
In the wake of those claims, former National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest denied giving any consent to the NSA to record cell phone conversations in the Bahamas and the FNM party has maintained that it knew nothing of the reported NSA spying.
Nearly a year later, then-Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell told parliamentarians that America had agreed to use the “lawful” authority to obtain surveillance information from this country.
It was reportedly agreed information gathering would only be used for interdiction purposes. This included information that helps in the clampdown of illegal activity.
Comments
John 7 years, 2 months ago
Many (young) Bahamians have already had the experience of this "monitoring of social media accounts." A number who applied for student visas has their applications denied despite having good grades and good finances and character references. But apparently they had made posts on their Facebook page or in other social media, promoting guns, violence drug use or the like. It only takes something small to get your visa denied. So "Big Brother" is only making official, what he has been doing for years.
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 2 months ago
What's said in this article provides ample reason why Bahamians should not be the least bit supportive of the Spy Bill recently tabled in the HOA. Carl Bethel as AG should be castigated (better still - sacked by Minnis) for all of the foolish advice he has been giving to Minnis that has our PM looking like a total fool.
TheMadHatter 7 years, 2 months ago
I'm sure the NSA has been monitoring it all for many years. If you are not a terrorist or hardened criminal or planning to become one - then you have nothing to worry about.
tell_it_like_it_is 7 years, 2 months ago
... Some may beg to differ...
((Better choose your words about partying in the USA carefully - one of many instances of barring due to misinterpreted tweets)).. u just can't make this stuff up!
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-1681…
OldFort2012 7 years, 2 months ago
I would like to take this opportunity to publically state that I think President Donald Trump is doing a great job and that he is not in the slightest bit racist. I would happily vote for him if the US were to grant me citizenship. Thank you. PS: great job in Iraq, Afghanistan and wherever you are planning on invading next. Right on, brother!
DDK 7 years, 2 months ago
Actually it appears to be AFRICA! No joke!
John2 7 years, 2 months ago
I think its North Korea .....they will be neutralized and they will not be able to fire a single missile. Nothing with electronics circuits will be able to function the during the conflict so their missiles will be useless sitting ducks ...That will teach Iran a lesson and they will accept whatever changes congress wants with the iran nuclear deal......go Trump ! .
tell_it_like_it_is 7 years, 2 months ago
Wow... alternate universe much?
In any war like this, they have already estimated an extremely high casualty count, no matter who wins.
truetruebahamian 7 years, 2 months ago
No one wins!
banker 7 years, 2 months ago
Preach it.
BMW 7 years, 2 months ago
so this shows that many may have good grades and money . They still are low life who would promote drugs, violence and guns and be dense enough to put it on social media. Just plain dumb
John2 7 years, 2 months ago
With the way the world is changing i dont blame them for the monitoring. Its the home grown fellas they have to really watch out for.https://www.nytimes.com/.../us/how-…...
DDK 7 years, 2 months ago
It's also putting an end to Freedom Of Speech. Seems our friends across the Small Pond are for more interested in preserving their reconstrued Second Amendment that their First.
proudloudandfnm 7 years, 2 months ago
Screw trump....
milesair 7 years, 2 months ago
Trump is a racist pig! The U.S. is marching backwards toward a fascist state. Forget freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the right to protest. Big brother is watching everyone! Stay away from the U.S. Spend your money elsewhere! Otherwise you might just get arrested in the U.S. for just being Black. What was once an example of freedom and justice to the world no longer exists. With Trump the U.S. is becoming a very SCARY place!
Economist 7 years, 2 months ago
Looks like Mr. Trump is learning from the Chinese. Nobody told him about "the land of the free and the brave".
sheeprunner12 7 years, 2 months ago
Does the Tribune blog qualify to be monitored by Uncle Sam??????? ............ BOL
tell_it_like_it_is 7 years, 2 months ago
You bet!
bogart 7 years, 2 months ago
A plus for being proactive!!
If only our Authorities was so proactive on protecting our Beloved Bahamaland.
...we would have been able to shut down all the then illegal numbers on a 7 by 21 mile island ...investigated how 1 billion in bad loans happened and all the bad loans at BoB and how they came about etc and millions in public money tied or noone found guilty ...jail any one depositing illegal money when caught or do a better job at catching them ...found out where all missing money gone ...stopped all the illegal migrants who keep coming and colonizing and repopulating our Bahamas. ...stopped all those blackout tinted cars, and church buses ...stopped all the illegal shanty towns ...stopped asking the public to identify all those namrs in Ciyizenship newspapers ads and they dont have a picture for persons who could be bogus, terrorist, fugitive, etc
Cannot blame the US for these measures to protect their beloved country.
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