Jihadist blogs

“I just can't envision a scenario where somebody posts to a message board, ‘I'm getting ready to launch an IED at this location,’ and the government will find that,” said terrorism analyst Matt Devost. A lot of postings about attacks are “fantasy, almost role-playing,” Devost said.

(Thomas Frank, “Feds consider searches of terrorism blogs”, USA Today, 23 Dec 2008)

As Mr. Devost is no doubt aware, searching blogs wouldn't be about finding the “smoking gun”. It would be about piecing together little bits of information that together suggest a credible threat.

The problem of internet search is not lack of information, but too much information — “noise” in the professional parlance. How do we sift through all of the false leads to identify the ones that really matter? In this, Mr. Devost's second point is entirely correct.

I am a bit surprised that the article does not raise potential ethical questions about scanning public blogs, as some of the follow-up user comments do. While I am as leery of the Patriot Act as anyone, in this case I see no ethical or legal dilemma.

Posting to a public blog is the digital equivalent of posting a signed announcement on a public street corner. A policeman strolling by would be well within his rights to stroll over and read what was written, and to act on the information if he thought it prudent.

This is not like tapping into email or phone conversations. It's not even on a par with sending undercover agents to activist meetings. This is simply reading what has already been placed on public display.

Of course, infiltrating “private” chat rooms is another matter. There due process would need to be followed, at least in the case of domestic groups.