Software Being Developed to Monitor Opinions of U.S. (1 Viewer)

[jfuh]

THis is bullshit right out of Orwell's 1984 becoming reality. So what? Now if I have a negative opinion about the government I'm going to be put on some list of potential terrorist suspects then picked up one day and held without hadeas corpus?

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 — A consortium of major universities, using Homeland Security Department money, is developing software that would let the government monitor negative opinions of the United States or its leaders in newspapers and other publications overseas. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/04/us/04monitor.html?_r=1&oref=slogin#secondParagraph


Such a “sentiment analysis” is intended to identify potential threats to the nation, security officials said.
Researchers at institutions including Cornell, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Utah intend to test the system on hundreds of articles published in 2001 and 2002 on topics like President Bush’s use of the term “axis of evil,” the handling of detainees at Guantánamo Bay, the debate over global warming and the coup attempt against President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela. - source

Even global warming issues are unamerican now?

 

[easyt65]

Yeah, but think of the election and policy application! The politicians could monitor chat rooms and other sources to get instant feedback on which way the wind is blowing so they can decide which way to vote, making polls obsolete! :doh

 

[Deegan]

I thought this is what the CIA was for?

 

[Travelsonic]

Given history, this seems like it is likely to be abused. :censored


Next stop: Orwellia, no transfers, last stop for the evening.

 

[Navy Seal Patriot]

It also reminds me of the movie V for Vendetta when the "facists" listened in on family-friend conversations to see the real public sentiment.

 

[jamesrage]

THis is bullshit right out of Orwell's 1984 becoming reality. So what? Now if I have a negative opinion about the government I'm going to be put on some list of potential terrorist suspects then picked up one day and held without hadeas corpus?

Even global warming issues are unamerican now?

I noticed something

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 — A consortium of major universities, using Homeland Security Department money, is developing software that would let the government monitor negative opinions of the United States or its leaders in newspapers and other publications overseas.

Who gives a **** if they are monitoring anti-american scum over seas.

 

[DeeJayH]

developing software that would let the government monitor negative opinions of the United States or its leaders in newspapers and other publications overseas.

this appears to be monitoring NEWSPAPERS/PUBLICATIONS overseas
what is with you drama queens and thinking it affects individuals?:roll:

 

[Travelsonic]

Who gives a **** if they are monitoring anti-american scum over seas.

Negative opinion != anti-American opinion. You can criticize a country's actions without being for it's failure or destruction, or actually being against the country otherwise.

 

[DeeJayH]

Negative opinion != anti-American opinion. You can criticize a country's actions without being for it's failure or destruction, or actually being against the country otherwise.

I think this would actually be a good thing
the government will have a program, as will most others, probably
that will be able to determine how our gov'ts actions/policies are perceived/received overseas
sure its already being done, by staffers, but i see this as a streamlining of the same process taking advantage of the digital age
they will better be able to see who slants whatever we do as a negative
who slants whatever we do to the positive
and how reports accurately
thus how it also affects those who are using these outlets for their information
where is the harm in this
other than if this program is used like some past presidents who make decisions by poll results

 

[jfuh]

I noticed something



Who gives a **** if they are monitoring anti-american scum over seas.

Read the article more thoroughly and you will realize, as the title states, that it is not only overseas publications/broadcasts that will be "monitored" but also domestic sources.
You don't find such a bit uncomfortably orwellian?

The articles in the database include work from many American newspapers and news wire services, including The Miami Herald and The New York Times, as well as foreign sources like Agence France-Presse and The Dawn, a newspaper in Pakistan.