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News & ArtsWednesday, February 8, 2012
Teh Internets Watch What You Tweet
Posted by Charles Mudede on Wed, Feb 8, 2012 at 1:44 PM
In case you, like I, missed this story...
Two British tourists were barred from entering America after joking on Twitter that they were going to 'destroy America' and 'dig up Marilyn Monroe'.What did these tourists get to see? The real America. What did they learn? Homeland don't play that.
Leigh Van Bryan, 26, was handcuffed and kept under armed guard in a cell with Mexican drug dealers for 12 hours after landing in Los Angeles with pal Emily Bunting.The Department of Homeland Security flagged him as a potential threat when he posted an excited tweet to his pals about his forthcoming trip to Hollywood which read: 'Free this week, for quick gossip/prep before I go and destroy America?'
...Despite telling officials the term 'destroy' was British slang for 'party', they were held on suspicion of planning to 'commit crimes' and had their passports confiscated.
...Bar manager Leigh, from Coventry, and Emily, 24, from Birmingham, were then quizzed for five hours at LAX before they were handcuffed and put into a van with illegal immigrants and locked up overnight.
They spent 12 hours in separate holding cells before being driven back to the airport where they were put on a plane home via Paris.
4
Anyone else remember the good old days, when America really was the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Me neither: the Ministry of Truth says those evil memories were implanted by terrorists. I love Big Brother!
Me neither: the Ministry of Truth says those evil memories were implanted by terrorists. I love Big Brother!
5
If the British can arrest Todd Margaret for trying to dig up Princess Diana with a dildo, then turnabout is fair play I say!
7
What did they learn? Homeland don't play that.
Oh jeez, now I'm picturing these two being pointedly interviewed by Homie the Clown.
Oh jeez, now I'm picturing these two being pointedly interviewed by Homie the Clown.
8
Which just goes to show, Homeland Security is monitoring your Tweets. Do you suppose they're doing it randomly, one at a time, or are they doing it in batches, like the whole goddam country at once (everyday)?
Oh I forgot. It doesn't really matter, now that unwarranted searches are legal and the telecoms have immunity.
Oh I forgot. It doesn't really matter, now that unwarranted searches are legal and the telecoms have immunity.
10
I didn't miss the story. Or miss it the day after it came out. Or the day after that. Or the day after that.
12
@8, of course they're monitoring tweets. And Facebook. They freely admit it. All that stuff is public record, you know. If you really think it's "private," you're deluded.
13
There's more to the story that meets the eye. Reportedly there was a tipper that made a call to the border people. They were also interviewed and then sent back which leads me to believe it's not related to Twitter usage.
By the way, it should be clarified that it's very unlikely the US government has a system to monitor social networks and act upon such information as it could be implied from the story.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/…
By the way, it should be clarified that it's very unlikely the US government has a system to monitor social networks and act upon such information as it could be implied from the story.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/…
14
Right, then, Guvnor. When oy say "Destroy" I mean have me pint with bitters. And when oy say "Transport small nuclear arms" ah mean me fish and chips in a tupperware container. And when oy say "blow up the Sears Tower", oy mean have a right good time with me blokes...and when I oy say Captain.
Oy say WOT
Oy say Captain
Oy SAY WOT YOU WONT?!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pqC563bX…
15
From listening to KUOW about two weeks ago, one would have had the pleasure of hearing a report on how the intelligence community does in fact monitor social networking data. It's not a surprise, a secret, or any type of grand conspiracy. The problem isn't the data per say, but rather how the agencies interpret said material. Also, a nitwit agent is a nitwit agent whether you're in the US or China. Trotting out conspiracy theories only makes those who actually stay informed less sympathetic to your ranting. This does in fact look like overreach, but out of how many cases are there over the course of a year? Another point would be that the 'suspects' are not American citizens, and as such do not have the unalienable right to enter the country at will.
17
Charles,
While this story seems most unfortunate, I do believe there's more to it than meets the eye. I agree the verb "destroy" has a colloquial meaning. I actually enjoy the way it's used in the Tweet. Alas and clearly, there was a communication problem. Regrets to all.
While this story seems most unfortunate, I do believe there's more to it than meets the eye. I agree the verb "destroy" has a colloquial meaning. I actually enjoy the way it's used in the Tweet. Alas and clearly, there was a communication problem. Regrets to all.
18
@8 I'm also a noob when it comes to Twitter, but I've learned that "monitoring" the social networking site is actually quite literally built into the basic software- you can use it to screen tweets- for example "terrorist" keywords like destroy America. And now ya know.
19
Ignoring the slang interpretation, if I really were a foreigner about to visit the US with destructive murderous intent, would I be SO FUCKING STUPID to tweet about it under my real name?
This is so, so intensely stupid, I'd fire the whole damn department of fuckwits in that airport.
This is so, so intensely stupid, I'd fire the whole damn department of fuckwits in that airport.
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