<p>&nbsp;This week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) quietly &nbsp;announced that they will be compiling a database of journalists and &nbsp;“media influencers.” The news was first released in a <a href="https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&amp;mode=form&amp;id=22aa793f75ce05efd160cfa36d7a8acc&amp;tab=core&amp;tabmode=list&amp;=">FedBizOpps.gov</a> post titled “Media Monitoring Services,” which was taken down after news of the listing went viral. (<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180407051745/https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&amp;mode=form&amp;id=22aa793f75ce05efd160cfa36d7a8acc&amp;tab=core&amp;tabmode=list&amp;=">archive</a>)</p>
<p>The DHS has responded critics of their plan shortly after, saying that this is a standard practice, and<em> “Any suggestion otherwise is fit for tin foil hat wearing, black helicopter conspiracy theorists.”</em>&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="https://screenshotscdn.firefoxusercontent.com/images/3a5cfcdf-87c3-4818-a0b5-f22b32b29e86.png" width="550" height="225"/></p>
<p>&nbsp;According to the statement, “<em>Services shall provide media &nbsp;comparison tools, design and rebranding tools, communication tools, and &nbsp;the ability to identify top media influencers. DHS agencies have a &nbsp;critical need to incorporate these functions into their programs in &nbsp;order to better reach federal, state, local, tribal, and private &nbsp;partners.</em> The agency is also seeking&nbsp; <em>“contact details and any other &nbsp;information that could be relevant, including publications this &nbsp;influencer writes for, and an overview of the previous coverage &nbsp;published by the media influencer.”</em></p>
<p>The report said that the DHS will be keeping an eye on at least &nbsp;290,000 global news sources, and seeking the ability to track media &nbsp;coverage in up to 100 languages as well as the ability to <em>“track &nbsp;online, print, broadcast, cable, radio, trade and industry publications, &nbsp;local sources, national/international outlets, traditional news &nbsp;sources, and social media.”</em>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The statement also indicated that the database would include &nbsp;mainstream media sources as well as bloggers and independent &nbsp;journalists. This is concerning because in times of extreme despotism, &nbsp;silencing the press through prison and execution is an age-old tactic of &nbsp;tyrannical regimes.&nbsp; A database like this would make it extremely easy &nbsp;for them to round up journalists who were oppositional to the &nbsp;establishment.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Oddy enough, the agency will also be closely watching to see if they are mentioned in the news. <em>“Services shall enable [the DHS’s National Protection and &nbsp;Program’s Directorate] to monitor traditional news sources as well as &nbsp;social media, identify any and all media coverage related to the &nbsp;Department of Homeland Security or a particular event. Services shall &nbsp;provide media comparison tools, design and rebranding tools, &nbsp;communication tools, and the ability to identify top media influencers,”</em> the statement said.</p>
<p>According to a <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2017/04/28/politics/press-freedom-2017/index.html">2017 report</a> &nbsp;by the independent research group Freedom House, press freedom in the &nbsp;United States and across the world is at its lowest point in 13 years. &nbsp;The report found that there were <em>“unprecedented threats to &nbsp;journalists and media outlets in major democracies and new moves by &nbsp;authoritarian states to control the media, including beyond their &nbsp;borders.”</em> This is an ominous sign of things come for the media, especially those who question authority.&nbsp;</p>
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AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY:
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<p>My name is John Vibes and I am an author and researcher who organizes a number of large events including the Free Your Mind Conference. I write for numerous alternative media websites, including The Free Thought Project @tftproject and The Mind Unleashed. In addition to my first book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Alchemy-Timeless-Renaissance-John-Vibes/dp/1518828612">Alchemy of the Timeless Renaissance</a>, I have also co-authored three books with Derrick Broze @dbroze : <a href="http://theconsciousresistance.com/reflections-on-anarchy-and-spirituality/"><em>The Conscious Resistance: Reflections on Anarchy and Spirituality</em></a>, <a href="http://theconsciousresistance.com/finding-freedom-age-confusion/"><em>Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion</em></a> and <a href="http://theconsciousresistance.com/manifesto-of-the-free-humans/"><em>Manifesto of the Free Humans</em></a></p>
<p>I just won a 3-year-long battle with cancer, and will be working to help others through my experience, if you wish to contribute to my medical bills, consider subscribing to my <a href="https://www.patreon.com/Johnvibes">podcast on Patreon.&nbsp;</a></p>