Feds monitoring online gun sales

[cybernorris]

We shouldn’t be surprised that Fed computer systems are monitoring online gun sales. 

A significant portion of the Memex cache also comes from arms sale and review sites—largely Armslist.com, but more than 80 sites and forums in total. The Memex database holds 7.2 million images and files related to gun sales. The government probably knows if you've ever advertised sex work or a gun for sale between 2014 and 2017. And it has receipts.

https://reason.com/archives/2019/02/05/hotel-surveillance-state-sex-trafficking/2

https://memex.jpl.nasa.gov/MFSEC17.pdf

[TGO David]

I wonder if the list of online sources they comb could be obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.

[Moped]

11 minutes ago, TGO David said:

I wonder if the list of online sources they comb could be obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.

I have no doubt they'd fight it tooth and nail, before releasing such a list.  In the name of national security, of course.

[BrasilNuts]

Next thing you know we’ll be hearing that they’re using those online ancestry websites to log peoples DNA..... waaaaaait a minute......

[DaveTN]

2 hours ago, cybernorris said:

We shouldn’t be surprised...

I’m not. This is the digital age. Information is easy to access, download, categorize and report.

However, I suspect that the anti-gunners will use the numbers from Armslist that will make the number of private sales appear much larger than it really is. I also suspect a gun advertised over several websites will get counted several times. Although I doubt they really care what the numbers are.

I don’t think their main use of this information will be as a database for tracking guns. I think they are going to use it to help justify legislation to stop private guns sales without a background check. And unfortunately (because it won’t help stop crime); I think it will work.

[cybernorris]

I also wouldn’t be surprised if google, yahoo, etc aren’t already indexing gun possession/use/sale info from email history... waiting for the appropriate secret subpoena to release it.

[Omega]

It's hard being an ammo pimp yo. 

[owejia]

Thought collecting and storing gun ownership information was illegal under the GCA of 68, do you really think the gov. would disobey a federal law?

[DaveTN]

20 minutes ago, owejia said:

Thought collecting and storing gun ownership information was illegal under the GCA of 68, do you really think the gov. would disobey a federal law?

I could be wrong, but I think you will find the laws address background information. Also, there are several states that maintain gun registries or require approval from local law enforcement.

DARPA is part of the Department of Defense and I’m sure they will claim national security if anyone tries to stop or impede them. I’m sure this is a byproduct of what they do on the net. “Hey hold my beer, and watch what we can do with this program.”

[BrasilNuts]

3 hours ago, TGO David said:

I wonder if the list of online sources they comb could be obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.

[DWARREN123]

The government has been tracking all sorts of info for years and no one should be surprised.

[btq96r]

Open source intelligence really is the undervalued way to collect.  For all the protestations of "boating accidents" people joke about, plenty of gun owners declare far and wide what their inventory is as they post away, and the internet is forever if you didn't know.  This kind of thing is a natural extension of such.

 

6 hours ago, owejia said:

Thought collecting and storing gun ownership information was illegal under the GCA of 68, do you really think the gov. would disobey a federal law?

If there back is against the wall by the courts, they'll argue that they're collecting info on trends, not ownership or sales.  And it'll be to determine something about terrorism for the children because that's how it's been since Nanny/11 made people forget freedom has implied risks.

[cybernorris]

From what I read one use is using photos to find serial numbers to search for stolen guns.