In a comment for the previous entry, Sloot pointed out this story, Blog-Tracking May Gain Ground Among US Intelligence Officials:
As a result, some analysts say U.S. intelligence and law enforcement
officials might be starting to track blogs for important bits of
information. This interest is a sign of how far Web media such as blogs
have come in reshaping the data-collection habits of intelligence
professionals and others, even with the knowledge that the accuracy of
what’s reported in some blogs is questionable.
Still, a panel of folks who work in the U.S. intelligence field – some
of them spies or former spies – discussed this month at a conference in
Washington the idea of tracking blogs.
“News and intelligence is about listening with a critical ear, and
blogs are just another conversation to listen to and evaluate. They
also are closer to (some situations) and may serve as early alerts,”
said Jock Gill, a former adviser on Internet media to President Clinton
(news – web sites), in a later phone interview, after he spoke on the
panel.
Hmmm…