The U.S. Postal Service is using its law enforcement arm to track Americans’ posts on social media before the protests, according to a report on Wednesday.
A newsletter first reported by Yahoo News details how the U.S. Postal Inspection Service collected data as part of the Secret Internet Operations Program or iCOP.
Analysts are said to have searched Facebook, Parler and Telegram before reporting “inflammatory” messages to other government agencies.
He is named an alleged member of the right wing Proud Boys, among others who did not appear to have posted anything threatening.
It is not clear why USPIS oversees resources or how the iCOP is funded. The USPS has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. In August last year, it reported that it lost $ 2.2 billion in the three months ended June.
University of Chicago law professor Geoffrey Stone told Yahoo: “I don’t understand why the government would go to the postal service to examine the Internet for security.”
Rachel Levinson-Waldman, deputy director of the Justice Center’s Brennan program for national freedom and security, called the pursuit “bizarre.”
DailyMail.com contacted the US Postal Inspection Service for comments.
U.S. Postal Service follows US posts on social media ahead of planned protest, report said Wednesday
A newsletter first reported by Yahoo News details how the U.S. Postal Inspection Service collected data as part of the Internet Operating Program or iCOP
Analysts are said to have searched Facebook, Parler and Telegram before reporting “inflammatory” messages to government agencies.
Levinson-Waldman added: “If the people he monitors are committing or planning criminal activities, that should be the responsibility of the FBI.
“If they are simply involved in a legally protected discourse, even if it is odious or unacceptable, then monitoring them on this basis raises serious constitutional concerns.”
The US Postal Inspection Service said in a statement to Yahoo: “The US Postal Inspection Service is the main law enforcement, crime prevention and security service of the US Postal Service.”
“As such, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service has federal law enforcement officers, postal inspectors, who enforce approximately 200 federal laws to fulfill the agency’s mission: to protect the U.S. Postal Service and its employees, infrastructure, and customers; enforce laws that protect the nation’s postal system from illegal or dangerous use; and ensure public confidence in the mail.
They added: “The Internet Secret Operations Program is a function of the US Postal Inspection Service, which assesses threats to postal service employees and its infrastructure by monitoring publicly available open source information.
“In addition, the Inspection Service works with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to proactively identify and assess potential threats to the postal service, its employees and customers, and its overall data processing network. post and transport.
“In order to maintain operational effectiveness, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service does not discuss its protocols, methods of investigation, or tools.”
The March 16 government bulletin focuses on a March 20 protest, the World Rally for Freedom and Democracy, which demonstrated against blocking COVID.
The March 16 government bulletin focuses on a protest planned on March 20, the World Rally for Freedom and Democracy, to protest against the blockade of COVID
About a hundred supporters of the World Rally for Freedom and Democracy, along with two dozen proud boys, attend a rally to accuse Governor Roy Cooper and the return of constitutional freedoms to Raleigh, NC, on March 20.
The bulletin states: “Analysts from the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Internet Covert Operations Program (iCOP) monitored significant work on planned international and domestic protests on March 20, 2021.
“Places and times have been identified for these protests, which are distributed online on several social platforms, to include right-leaning Parler and Telegram accounts.”
The bulletin notes: “Parler users have commented on their intention to use the rallies to engage in violence.”
Share screenshots of Parler’s sitepointing to two users who discuss the event as an opportunity to fight and “do serious damage”, as well as from Telegram and Facebook.
The bulletin adds:No information is available to suggest the legitimacy of these threats.
“ICOP analysts are currently monitoring these social media channels for possible threats arising from the scheduled protests and will disseminate information updates as needed.”