The Conversation: Always watching: How ICE’s plan to monitor social media 24/7 threatens privacy and civic participation

Kevin R. Johnson

07 Nov 2025 — 1 min read

Should we be on social media (or blogging) in these times? Or is it time to go off the grid? Nicole M. Bennett made me think about these question in a contribution to The Conversation:

"U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has published a request for information for private-sector contractors to launch a round-the-clock social media monitoring program. The request states that private contractors will be paid to comb through `Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr, Instagram, VK, Flickr, Myspace, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, Reddit, WhatsApp, YouTube, etc.,' turning public posts into enforcement leads that feed directly into ICE’s databases."

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President Trump offers $1 million reward for tips leading to voter fraud convictions

ICE reportedly expands immigration crackdown across California

Steve Vladeck on the Trump Administration's Election Interference

From the Bookshelves: My Sugar Beet Summer by Rachael Elisa Moreno