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Department of Homeland Security officials are on a roll recently. Now, the agency says it plans to increase social media tracking efforts as part of an effort to better identify those "who may be radicalizing, or have radicalized, to violence."
What a slippery slope that could be.
According to DHS, the effort would involve partnerships with tech companies, universities and nonprofit groups to access publicly available data. One can understand the need to be aware of those whose social media activities and speech are clear indicators of a shift to violence. But the possibilities for infringement upon the right to free speech are frightening.
Officials are saying all the right things, of course, noting analysts will be trained on tracking social media AND how to distinguish a threat from the exercise of free speech.
"It's really important that people understand that in this administration, we do not view the mission of Homeland Security to police thought," said John Cohen, the department's assistant secretary for counterterrorism and threat prevention. "It's about protecting against acts of violence."
Training on such a distinction will be critical.
Fortunately, it seems as though Cohen understands how important that distinction will be. He told reporters DHS knows it could be undermined "if what we are doing is viewed as constitutionally incorrect."
Good. It is essential DHS officials understand Americans will be watching them with just as much interest as they are watching us.