What is iCOP? Not What You Think

 

I almost choked on my beverage in the car when I heard an ad from cyber-security guru Kim Commando, warning that the government has enlisted the United States Post Office to spy on our social media content and report it back to certain agencies. Then the same story was being discussed on two different radio stations. From Business Insider:

According to a Yahoo News report, the law-enforcement arm of the US Postal Service is running a “covert” program that monitors Americans’ social media posts for “inflammatory” content and then passes those posts along to other government agencies.

The surveillance effort, which falls under the agency’s Postal Inspection Service, is known as the Internet Covert Operations Program, or iCop, the outlet reported. Prior to the Yahoo News Wednesday report, details of the program had not been made public.

When did this happen?

The outlet obtained a March 16 memo, marked as “law enforcement sensitive” that said analysts with the US Postal Inspection Service had monitored “significant activity regarding planned protests occurring internationally and domestically on March 20, 2021.

Well, March 20th came and went.

The government bulletin appears to be referencing demonstrations across the world planned as part of a World Wide Rally for Freedom and Democracy, in which groups were expected to demonstrate for a variety of causes, including lockdown measures and 5G, Yahoo News reported.

So how long have they been doing this kind of spying on Americans?  Was the “World Wide Rally for Freedom and Democracy” possibly a pushback against the very thing the authorities are supposedly doing? Why, if they are monitoring social media for disturbing behavior, do they never catch the crazies that shoot up FedEx facilities or grocery stores?  They always site their social media red flags after the fact. It doesn’t add up.

It seems these days that everything that is supposedly being done ‘in the name of freedom’ is producing the opposite.  There doesn’t seem to be a slowing of rioting and violence in some of our cities, where law and order are MIA, and attacking law enforcement or at the very least, not obeying police when they are called out seems to be ok.  Are these non-peaceful protestors being monitored?

This federal scrutiny of law enforcement procedures and even the military – with social justice questionnaires, (like our men and women on the front lines domestically and internationally are the cause of all these social problems), is completely and utterly absurd.  Now we learn just how deep and wide the cage is and we are all in it.  This sounds like something out of Stalin’s Rules for Dummies!

What is happening happened to our country? Why is it being tolerated?

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  1. Ekosj Member
    Ekosj
    @Ekosj

    They also image every piece of mail.    Every piece.    I’d imagine there is a database somewhere of who sends stuff to whom and when.  

    Two key programs play a role in the surveillance. The first is called “Mail Imaging.” As the name suggests, the program involves taking a digital photograph of every piece of physical mail that crosses through the USPS. The images provide a permanent record of the source and destination addresses posted on all packages and letters in the country.  

    The scope of the program is absolutely huge. The New York Times reported that about 160 billion pieces of mail were scanned in 2012.

    Ostensibly, the Mail Imaging program is used to sort mail. However, law enforcement agencies are regularly granted access to this data without even the requirement of obtaining a warrant. The massive trove of data can be used to profile individuals and gather intelligence on their private lives. For example, the government can glean who the individual corresponds with; who the individual does business with; who sends the individual birthday cards; who sends the individual monthly bills; who the individual contracts for legal services.

    A second program, called the Mail Isolation Control and Tracking (MICT) program is engaged when there is special interest in a targeted individual. Reportedly, the program allows law enforcement to “track or investigate” the contents of mail connected to specific people.

    Perhaps they could just deliver the mail?   

    • #1
  2. DonG (2+2=5. Say it!) Coolidge
    DonG (2+2=5. Say it!)
    @DonG

    I bet Mark Zuckerberg will gladly sell this info to the US govt. for a nice fee.   Some days it is hard to tell when the government ends and Big Tech starts. 

    • #2
  3. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Sounds like the joke is on them.  Don’t they realize people don’t use the mail any more?

    P.S.  It’s Komando.  She is – or at least was – married to a long-time Phoenix-area radio host, Barry Young, who also produced her radio show.

    • #3
  4. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    DonG (2+2=5. Say it!) (View Comment):

    I bet Mark Zuckerberg will gladly sell this info to the US govt. for a nice fee. Some days it is hard to tell when the government ends and Big Tech starts.

    Thats because there is no boundary between the two.

    • #4
  5. RushBabe49 Thatcher
    RushBabe49
    @RushBabe49

    Yeah, show me the letter written by an Antifa thug to his contacts planning a demonstration. 

    • #5
  6. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat

    Ekosj (View Comment):

    They also image every piece of mail. Every piece. I’d imagine there is a database somewhere of who sends stuff to whom and when.

    Two key programs play a role in the surveillance. The first is called “Mail Imaging.” As the name suggests, the program involves taking a digital photograph of every piece of physical mail that crosses through the USPS. The images provide a permanent record of the source and destination addresses posted on all packages and letters in the country.

    The scope of the program is absolutely huge. The New York Times reported that about 160 billion pieces of mail were scanned in 2012.

    Ostensibly, the Mail Imaging program is used to sort mail. However, law enforcement agencies are regularly granted access to this data without even the requirement of obtaining a warrant. The massive trove of data can be used to profile individuals and gather intelligence on their private lives. For example, the government can glean who the individual corresponds with; who the individual does business with; who sends the individual birthday cards; who sends the individual monthly bills; who the individual contracts for legal services.

    A second program, called the Mail Isolation Control and Tracking (MICT) program is engaged when there is special interest in a targeted individual. Reportedly, the program allows law enforcement to “track or investigate” the contents of mail connected to specific people.

    Perhaps they could just deliver the mail?

    Interesting – so does this explain why it now takes two and half weeks to receive a birthday card from the South to the North?  I’ve gone to the post office and it is so busy that people packages were just strewn all over the parking lot on the ground, being sorted – huge bins outside.  So they thought this mail out ballot thing on election day was going to work out?  This surveillance thing has to be illegal – doesn’t the Constitution prevent this? AI is everywhere – very concerning.

    • #6
  7. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat

    DonG (2+2=5. Say it!) (View Comment):

    I bet Mark Zuckerberg will gladly sell this info to the US govt. for a nice fee. Some days it is hard to tell when the government ends and Big Tech starts.

    I imagine he’s already on board…

    • #7
  8. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat

    RushBabe49 (View Comment):

    Yeah, show me the letter written by an Antifa thug to his contacts planning a demonstration.

    According to what I heard today on several different outlets, phones, computers and all social media is monitored.

    • #8
  9. Gossamer Cat Coolidge
    Gossamer Cat
    @GossamerCat

    Ekosj (View Comment):
    Perhaps they could just deliver the mail?   

    No, they’re not very good at that these days.  They are diversifying.

    • #9
  10. Ekosj Member
    Ekosj
    @Ekosj

    Front Seat Cat (View Comment):

    Ekosj (View Comment):

    They also image every piece of mail. Every piece. I’d imagine there is a database somewhere of who sends stuff to whom and when.

    Two key programs play a role in the surveillance. The first is called “Mail Imaging.” As the name suggests, the program involves taking a digital photograph of every piece of physical mail that crosses through the USPS. The images provide a permanent record of the source and destination addresses posted on all packages and letters in the country.

    The scope of the program is absolutely huge. The New York Times reported that about 160 billion pieces of mail were scanned in 2012.

    Ostensibly, the Mail Imaging program is used to sort mail. However, law enforcement agencies are regularly granted access to this data without even the requirement of obtaining a warrant. The massive trove of data can be used to profile individuals and gather intelligence on their private lives. For example, the government can glean who the individual corresponds with; who the individual does business with; who sends the individual birthday cards; who sends the individual monthly bills; who the individual contracts for legal services.

    A second program, called the Mail Isolation Control and Tracking (MICT) program is engaged when there is special interest in a targeted individual. Reportedly, the program allows law enforcement to “track or investigate” the contents of mail connected to specific people.

    Perhaps they could just deliver the mail?

    Interesting – so does this explain why it now takes two and half weeks to receive a birthday card from the South to the North? I’ve gone to the post office and it is so busy that people packages were just strewn all over the parking lot on the ground, being sorted – huge bins outside. So they thought this mail out ballot thing on election day was going to work out? This surveillance thing has to be illegal – doesn’t the Constitution prevent this? AI is everywhere – very concerning.

    They ‘only’ image the outside of the envelopes/packages. That exterior data is public information.  Ostensibly, the program is supposed to help sort the mail.   Yeah.  Right.

    I’m waiting on a ‘Priority’ envelope sent from NY to NJ almost 2 weeks ago.   Was supposed to be 2 day delivery.    Ha!    According to the tracking ref it’s somewhere in  Nebraska.   That imaging is sure making things efficient.   

    • #10
  11. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Ekosj (View Comment):

    Front Seat Cat (View Comment):

    Ekosj (View Comment):

    They also image every piece of mail. Every piece. I’d imagine there is a database somewhere of who sends stuff to whom and when.

    Two key programs play a role in the surveillance. The first is called “Mail Imaging.” As the name suggests, the program involves taking a digital photograph of every piece of physical mail that crosses through the USPS. The images provide a permanent record of the source and destination addresses posted on all packages and letters in the country.

    The scope of the program is absolutely huge. The New York Times reported that about 160 billion pieces of mail were scanned in 2012.

    Ostensibly, the Mail Imaging program is used to sort mail. However, law enforcement agencies are regularly granted access to this data without even the requirement of obtaining a warrant. The massive trove of data can be used to profile individuals and gather intelligence on their private lives. For example, the government can glean who the individual corresponds with; who the individual does business with; who sends the individual birthday cards; who sends the individual monthly bills; who the individual contracts for legal services.

    A second program, called the Mail Isolation Control and Tracking (MICT) program is engaged when there is special interest in a targeted individual. Reportedly, the program allows law enforcement to “track or investigate” the contents of mail connected to specific people.

    Perhaps they could just deliver the mail?

    Interesting – so does this explain why it now takes two and half weeks to receive a birthday card from the South to the North? I’ve gone to the post office and it is so busy that people packages were just strewn all over the parking lot on the ground, being sorted – huge bins outside. So they thought this mail out ballot thing on election day was going to work out? This surveillance thing has to be illegal – doesn’t the Constitution prevent this? AI is everywhere – very concerning.

    They ‘only’ image the outside of the envelopes/packages. That exterior data is public information. Ostensibly, the program is supposed to help sort the mail. Yeah. Right.

    I’m waiting on a ‘Priority’ envelope sent from NY to NJ almost 2 weeks ago. Was supposed to be 2 day delivery. Ha! According to the tracking ref it’s somewhere in Nebraska. That imaging is sure making things efficient.

    For one of their own packaging items – Priority Mail boxes, etc – it’s not an issue, but I’ve had packages delayed because people don’t obliterate previous bar codes as USPS says they should.  The spurious bar codes can interfere with the automated processing and cause delays.

    • #11
  12. ctlaw Coolidge
    ctlaw
    @ctlaw

    Their FOIA library seems shambolically useless:

    https://about.usps.com/who/legal/foia/library.htm

     

    • #12
  13. OccupantCDN Coolidge
    OccupantCDN
    @OccupantCDN

    I just did a post on this – not looking to see that you’d beaten me to the news… I heard about this program from:

    The one thing that sticks in my mind is that name, arent covert operations separate from covert surveillance? I have to wonder if this is not a surveillance program at all – but really is a covert operations program. What operation would the post office be uniquely equipped to handle? Well, they’re one of the few federal agencies that has operations in every town in the country. Could that geographic diversity be useful some how?

     

    • #13
  14. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat

    OccupantCDN (View Comment):

    I just did a post on this – not looking to see that you’d beaten me to the news… I heard about this program from:

    The one thing that sticks in my mind is that name, arent covert operations separate from covert surveillance? I have to wonder if this is not a surveillance program at all – but really is a covert operations program. What operation would the post office be uniquely equipped to handle? Well, they’re one of the few federal agencies that has operations in every town in the country. Could that geographic diversity be useful some how?

     

    There cannot be enough posts, videos and voices on this issue – thank you for posting about it and this video!!  Good grief!!!

    • #14
  15. OccupantCDN Coolidge
    OccupantCDN
    @OccupantCDN

    Front Seat Cat (View Comment):

    OccupantCDN (View Comment):

    I just did a post on this – not looking to see that you’d beaten me to the news… I heard about this program from:

    The one thing that sticks in my mind is that name, arent covert operations separate from covert surveillance? I have to wonder if this is not a surveillance program at all – but really is a covert operations program. What operation would the post office be uniquely equipped to handle? Well, they’re one of the few federal agencies that has operations in every town in the country. Could that geographic diversity be useful some how?

     

    There cannot be enough posts, videos and voices on this issue – thank you for posting about it and this video!! Good grief!!!

    There seems to be a law enforcement and intelligence function built into every federal agency. Do you remember back in Obama’s first term (I think) that it came out, that the department of education had a SWAT team?

    • #15
  16. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    OccupantCDN (View Comment):

    Front Seat Cat (View Comment):

    OccupantCDN (View Comment):

    I just did a post on this – not looking to see that you’d beaten me to the news… I heard about this program from:

    The one thing that sticks in my mind is that name, arent covert operations separate from covert surveillance? I have to wonder if this is not a surveillance program at all – but really is a covert operations program. What operation would the post office be uniquely equipped to handle? Well, they’re one of the few federal agencies that has operations in every town in the country. Could that geographic diversity be useful some how?

     

    There cannot be enough posts, videos and voices on this issue – thank you for posting about it and this video!! Good grief!!!

    There seems to be a law enforcement and intelligence function built into every federal agency. Do you remember back in Obama’s first term (I think) that it came out, that the department of education had a SWAT team?

    And they were buying a lot of ammo, as I recall.

    • #16
  17. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Also, iCOP is obviously the new robot policeman from Apple.

    In the 80s, it was RoboCop.  Now, it’s iCOP.

    • #17
  18. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    kedavis (View Comment):

    OccupantCDN (View Comment):

    Front Seat Cat (View Comment):

    OccupantCDN (View Comment):

    I just did a post on this – not looking to see that you’d beaten me to the news… I heard about this program from:

    The one thing that sticks in my mind is that name, arent covert operations separate from covert surveillance? I have to wonder if this is not a surveillance program at all – but really is a covert operations program. What operation would the post office be uniquely equipped to handle? Well, they’re one of the few federal agencies that has operations in every town in the country. Could that geographic diversity be useful some how?

     

    There cannot be enough posts, videos and voices on this issue – thank you for posting about it and this video!! Good grief!!!

    There seems to be a law enforcement and intelligence function built into every federal agency. Do you remember back in Obama’s first term (I think) that it came out, that the department of education had a SWAT team?

    And they were buying a lot of ammo, as I recall.

    We need to keep funding those SWAT teams. This is not the hill to die on, you know.

    • #18
  19. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    The Reticulator (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    OccupantCDN (View Comment):

    Front Seat Cat (View Comment):

    OccupantCDN (View Comment):

    I just did a post on this – not looking to see that you’d beaten me to the news… I heard about this program from:

    The one thing that sticks in my mind is that name, arent covert operations separate from covert surveillance? I have to wonder if this is not a surveillance program at all – but really is a covert operations program. What operation would the post office be uniquely equipped to handle? Well, they’re one of the few federal agencies that has operations in every town in the country. Could that geographic diversity be useful some how?

     

    There cannot be enough posts, videos and voices on this issue – thank you for posting about it and this video!! Good grief!!!

    There seems to be a law enforcement and intelligence function built into every federal agency. Do you remember back in Obama’s first term (I think) that it came out, that the department of education had a SWAT team?

    And they were buying a lot of ammo, as I recall.

    We need to keep funding those SWAT teams. This is not the hill to die on, you know.

    But it could be the hill that other people die on.

    • #19
  20. Allie Hahn Coolidge
    Allie Hahn
    @AllieHahn

    Ekosj (View Comment):

    They also image every piece of mail. Every piece. I’d imagine there is a database somewhere of who sends stuff to whom and when.

    Two key programs play a role in the surveillance. The first is called “Mail Imaging.” As the name suggests, the program involves taking a digital photograph of every piece of physical mail that crosses through the USPS. The images provide a permanent record of the source and destination addresses posted on all packages and letters in the country.

    The scope of the program is absolutely huge. The New York Times reported that about 160 billion pieces of mail were scanned in 2012.

    Ostensibly, the Mail Imaging program is used to sort mail. However, law enforcement agencies are regularly granted access to this data without even the requirement of obtaining a warrant. The massive trove of data can be used to profile individuals and gather intelligence on their private lives. For example, the government can glean who the individual corresponds with; who the individual does business with; who sends the individual birthday cards; who sends the individual monthly bills; who the individual contracts for legal services.

    A second program, called the Mail Isolation Control and Tracking (MICT) program is engaged when there is special interest in a targeted individual. Reportedly, the program allows law enforcement to “track or investigate” the contents of mail connected to specific people.

    Perhaps they could just deliver the mail?

    Sounds like a great reason to use private delivery services!

    • #20
  21. Allie Hahn Coolidge
    Allie Hahn
    @AllieHahn

    Is social media under the jurisdiction of the USPS? That is news to me. 

    • #21
  22. Roderic Coolidge
    Roderic
    @rhfabian

    Front Seat Cat: Why, if they are monitoring social media for disturbing behavior, do they never catch the crazies that shoot up FedEx facilities or grocery stores?  They always site their social media red flags after the fact. It doesn’t add up.

    Because authorities can’t act until someone actually does something illegal unless they can convince a judge that the rhetoric indicates imminent danger to a specific target.

    These dangerous folks are usually known to authorities ahead of time.  We shouldn’t be surprised to find that the authorities are somehow systematically monitoring social media.   Most of that stuff is public.

    Antifa and BLM have long learned to keep their plans and intentions off of the internet.  It’s right wing populists who don’t seem to mind posting inflammatory stuff for all to see.  

    • #22
  23. Tedley Member
    Tedley
    @Tedley

    Allie Hahn (View Comment):

    Is social media under the jurisdiction of the USPS? That is news to me.

    Perhaps the other agencies that normally handle law enforcement begged off of it.  Or, perhaps some official thought that no one would think that the Post Office would do this sort of thing. 

    • #23
  24. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Tedley (View Comment):

    Allie Hahn (View Comment):

    Is social media under the jurisdiction of the USPS? That is news to me.

    Perhaps the other agencies that normally handle law enforcement begged off of it. Or, perhaps some official thought that no one would think that the Post Office would do this sort of thing.

    Or that they would be any good at it, and hence not a serious risk?

    • #24
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