Bloggers may not be treated as journalists as far as the government is concerned — as the public learned during the Occupy Wall Street unrest in America, where scores of bloggers were beaten, tazered and/or pepper sprayed for trying to get the scoop — but that fact doesn’t stop the government from spying on bloggers as if they were journalists after all and not mere private citizens.
Under the National Operations Center (NOC)’s Media Monitoring Initiative that came out of DHS headquarters in November, Washington has the written permission to retain data on users of social media and online networking platforms.
Specifically, the DHS announced the NCO and its Office of Operations Coordination and Planning (OPS) can collect personal information from news anchors, journalists, reporters or anyone who may use “traditional and/or social media in real time to keep their audience situationally aware and informed.” more
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