SpyVeillance: USPS Postal Service Runs iCOP Covert Ops Program Spying Americans Social Posts

[grarpamp]

> https://news.yahoo.com/the-postal-service-is-running-a-running-a-covert-operations-program-that-monitors-americans-social-media-posts-160022919.html

https://www.scribd.com/document/503807748/Post-Office-Redacted

Like articles from fake news, appears political anti "right-wing" bias
is present in headline abstract, laughably failing to mention in same
abstract violent leftist "social platforms" orgs and politicians planning
and supporting protests causing thousand hospitalizations $2B+ in
insurance damage claims, etc all over 2020-2021.

iCOP or "Internet Covert Operations Program

Yet another spying and power panopticon, just as with the
USPS MICT Mail Isolation Control and Tracking Program
spying and storing your correspondants forever...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mail_Isolation_Control_and_Tracking
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiline_optical-character_reader
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Informed_Delivery

That's just two of the many spy programs in one entity.
There are many more in that entity, and many more entities.
Hardly even 10% of them listed below, which doesn't include
GovCorp licensed private Corporate Spying Influence and Power
programs...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_surveillance_in_the_United_States



US Postal Service Running 'Covert Operations Program' To Spy On
Americans' Social Media Posts, Share With Agencies

The US Postal Service (USPS) has been running a secret program to
track and collect Americans' social media posts - including those
about planned protests, according to a document obtained by Yahoo
News.

The surveillance program - operated by the law enforcement arm of the
USPS, is known as iCOP or "Internet Covert Operations Program" - has
not been previously made public according to the report.

    The work involves having analysts trawl through social media sites
to look for what the document describes as “inflammatory” postings and
then sharing that information across government agencies. -Yahoo News

"Analysts with the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)
Internet Covert Operations Program (iCOP) monitored significant
activity regarding planned protests occurring internationally and
domestically on March 20, 2021," reads a government bulletin dated
March 16, marked as "law enforcement sensitive" and distributed
throughout the Department of Homeland Security's fusion centers.

"Locations and times have been identified for these protests, which
are being distributed online across multiple social media platforms,
to include right-wing leaning Parler and Telegram accounts."

The report cites intelligence that 'a number of groups were expected
to gather in cities around the globe on March 20 as part of a World
Wide Rally for Freedom and Democracy' against pandemic lockdown
measures.

"Parler users have commented about their intent to use the rallies to
engage in violence. Image 3 on the right is a screenshot from Parler
indicating two users discussing the event as an opportunity to engage
in a ‘fight’ and to ‘do serious damage,’" reads the bulletin," though
it hedges with "No intelligence is available to suggest the legitimacy
of these threats."

The bulletin includes screenshots of posts concerning the protests
from Facebook, Parler, Telegram and other social media sites (only one
of which - Parler - was 'canceled' by big tech).

"iCOP analysts are currently monitoring these social media channels
for any potential threats stemming from the scheduled protests and
will disseminate intelligence updates as needed," reads the bulletin.

Post Office Redacted by Yahoo News

"It's a mystery" said University of Chicago law professor Geoffrey
Stone - who was appointed by President Obama to review the National
Security Agency's bulk data collection program revealed by Edward
Snowden. "I don’t understand why the government would go to the Postal
Service for examining the internet for security issues."

"There are so many other federal agencies that could do this, I don’t
understand why the post office would be doing it. There is no need for
the post office to do it — you’ve got FBI, Homeland Security and so
on, so I don’t know why the post office is doing this," he added.

    The Postal Service has had a turbulent year, facing financial
insolvency and allegations that its head, Postmaster General Louis
DeJoy, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, was slowing down
deliveries just as the pandemic vastly increased the number of mail-in
ballots for the 2020 election. Why the post office would now move into
social media surveillance, which would appear to have little to do
with mail deliveries, is unclear.

    “This seems a little bizarre,” agreed Rachel Levinson-Waldman,
deputy director of the Brennan Center for Justice’s liberty and
national security program. “Based on the very minimal information
that’s available online, it appears that [iCOP] is meant to root out
misuse of the postal system by online actors, which doesn’t seem to
encompass what’s going on here. It’s not at all clear why their
mandate would include monitoring of social media that’s unrelated to
use of the postal system.” -Yahoo News

"If the individuals they’re monitoring are carrying out or planning
criminal activity, that should be the purview of the FBI," said
Levinson-Waldman. "If they’re simply engaging in lawfully protected
speech, even if it’s odious or objectionable, then monitoring them on
that basis raises serious constitutional concerns."