OTB Exclusive: CIA Reading Newspapers, Watching Cable Networks

November 4, 2011

Comments

DEVELOPING STORY: In a well-marked building in McLean, Virginia, hundreds of CIA analysts are reading newspapers and watching cable news networks for information that might be helpful in assessing terrorist networks. Often, sources tell OTB, this information is pieced together in order to then kill people in faraway countries using drones.

Additionally, as a wildly provocative AP report reveals, they are using this new invention called “the Internet” in a similar fashion.

7 responses to “OTB Exclusive: CIA Reading Newspapers, Watching Cable Networks”

matt b

November 4, 2011 at 10:34 am

Ahhh… the perennial slow news tech story.

This just in, the recording, TV, film, and publishing industries monitor the internet in case someone uploads their content.
JKB

November 4, 2011 at 10:37 am

Wait, the CIA can read? Sounds like disinformation to me.

Do they have cool code names, like Condor, they can use if someone goes postal on their workplace?
mantis

November 4, 2011 at 10:38 am

I have my own analysts monitoring the “In-ter-net” as well, providing me with actionable intelligence I can use to acquire certain goods on the open market on a particular day in the near future. I won’t tell you the exact date, but the chatter tells us it is being referred to as “Black Friday.”
Clovis

November 4, 2011 at 11:28 am

@mantis:
This “Black Friday” of which you speak sounds ominous. Perhaps I should monitor it with this new-fangled “com-poo-tor” that the eggheads say might be the coming thing.

As for the near future, I’ve got one word for you: Plastics.
john personna

November 4, 2011 at 11:45 am

I’m reading “Rule 34” now, by Charlie Stross.

The future is here, it just isn’t evenly distributed.
mantis

November 4, 2011 at 11:46 am

Perhaps I should monitor it with this new-fangled “com-poo-tor” that the eggheads say might be the coming thing.

Pish posh. Nothing but a passing fad.

As for the near future, I’ve got one word for you: Plastics.

I’m going to go take a dip in the pool.
Bill Jempty

November 4, 2011 at 8:09 pm

One of my favorite James Bond movie quotes comes from 1995’s Goldeneye when M(Bond’s boss played by Judi Dench says-

Unlike the American government, we prefer not to get our bad news from CNN

Maybe they watch MSNBC today and read Outside the Beltway.