Secret Military Contractors Will Soon Mine Your Tweets

The Army wants a contractor to conduct detailed social media data mining to “identify violent extremist influences” around the world that could affect the European Command, responsible for operations in Europe as well as Iceland, Israel, Greenland and Russia.

Though the project is classified Secret, an Army contract shop in Europe posted a wealth of information on the FedBizOps contract website Tuesday.

The data mining contract, which has the very long title of “Social Media Data-mining, Localized Research, Market Audience Analysis, and Narrowcast Engagement Requirements,” will support both the European Command and Special Operations Command Europe.

In its request for information, the Army said it wants a contractor to “provide detailed social media research and analysis, on-the-ground native research and analysis, and customized social media website development and execution.”  This will include open source information, “detailed social media data-mining, social media monitoring and analysis, target audience analysis, media kit development and social media platform operations.”

This is a global effort, according to the RFI. In addition the European Command and the Special Operations Command in Europe, “activities under this contract will support . . . strategic communications, operations to engage local populations, build interagency partnerships, and identify violent extremist influences" within EUCOM’s area of responsibility emanating from Africa Command, Central Command, Pacific Command, or Southern Command areas of responsibility.

Even more details are contained in a Secret work statement that I would need a decoder ring to obtain – but I consider the unclassified info on FedBizOps a real gift for my daily trolling of federal digital cupboards.