The United States Postal Service is using its law enforcement squad to monitor Americans’ social media posts ahead of protests, according to a report on Wednesday.
A leaked bulletin first reported by Yahoo News describes how the US Postal Inspection Service collected data as part of the Internet Covert Operations Program, or iCOP.
Analysts are said to have viewed posts on Facebook, Parler and Telegram before flagging ‘incendiary’ posts to other government agencies.
An alleged right-wing member of Proud Boys is mentioned, among others who appeared to have posted nothing threatening.
It’s unclear exactly why the USPIS is putting resources into surveillance or how iCOP is funded. The USPS was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. In August last year, the company reported losing $ 2.2 billion in the three months ended June.
Professor Geoffrey Stone, a professor of law at the University of Chicago, told Yahoo, “I don’t understand why the government would go to the post to investigate the Internet for security issues.”
Rachel Levinson-Waldman, deputy director of the freedom and national security program at the Brennan Center for Justice, called the tracking “bizarre.”
DailyMail.com has contacted the US Postal Inspection Service for comment.
The United States Postal Service followed Americans’ social media reports ahead of a planned protest, reports Wednesday
A leaked bulletin first reported by Yahoo News describes how the US Postal Inspection Service collected data as part of the Internet Covert Operations Program or iCOP
Analysts reportedly viewed posts on Facebook, Parler and Telegram before flagging ‘inflammatory’ messages to government agencies
Levinson-Waldman added, “If the individuals they follow are carrying out or planning any criminal activity, that should be the job of the FBI.
“If they simply engage in lawfully protected speech, even if it is detestable or objectionable, then monitoring them on that basis raises serious constitutional concerns.”
The US Postal Inspection Service said in a statement to Yahoo, “The US Postal Inspection Service is the primary law enforcement, crime prevention, and security division of the US Postal Service.”
As such, the US Postal Inspection Service has federal law enforcement officers, postal inspectors, who enforce approximately 200 federal laws to accomplish the agency’s mission: to protect the US Postal Service and its employees, infrastructure, and customers; enforce the laws that protect the nation’s postal system from illegal or dangerous use; and build public confidence in the post.
They added, “The Internet Covert Operations Program is a function within the US Postal Inspection Service that assesses threats to employees of the postal service and its infrastructure by monitoring publicly available open source information.
In addition, the inspectorate 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 mail handling and transportation network.
“To maintain operational effectiveness, the US Postal Inspection Service does not discuss its protocols, survey methods, or instruments.”
The March 16 government bulletin focuses on a March 20 protest, the World Wide Rally for Freedom and Democracy, which demonstrated against COVID lockdowns.
The March 16 government bulletin focuses on a planned March 20 protest, the World Wide Rally for Freedom and Democracy, to demonstrate against COVID lockdowns
About a hundred supporters of World Wide Rally for Freedom and Democracy, along with two dozen Proud Boys, attend a rally to impeach Governor Roy Cooper and for the return of constitutional freedoms in Raleigh, NC, United States on March 20.
The bulletin reads: “ Analysts from the United States Postal Inspection Service’s (USPIS) Internet Covert Operations Program (iCOP) were overseeing major activities related to planned protests that took place internationally and domestically on March 20, 2021.
“Locations and times have been identified for these protests, which are spread online across multiple social media platforms, including right-wing Parler and Telegram accounts.”
The bulletin notes, “Parler users have commented on their intention to use the demonstrations to commit violence.”
It shares screenshots from right-wing social media site Parler ‘indicate that two users who discussed the event had an opportunity to ‘fight’ and ’cause 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 outlets for potential threats from the planned protests and will distribute information updates as needed.”