Corridor of Madness

Aren't they just being put on the spot for not being efficient enough? Do I recall correctly?
So wouldn't it be better to at least give the impression of being up to speed with the rest of the cosmos, and quietly start tracking? Then, if anybody ever asks anything, they could deadpan something like, "Yes, we've been aware of this phenomenon for some time. All the agencies regularly scan blogs as part of our internet operations", or whatever. Using that standard Ominous FBI Tone, the one that comes out so well on TV.

That way, at least appearances would be saved, while they scramble to get some decent advisors to let them know when a new way of disseminating information, potentially capable of revolutionizing news media worldwide, starts spreading through the Internet. Perhaps that way they'd even know before millions of ordinary citizens are already using it.

Of course you never can tell, with 'em spooks. Maybe they've been watching every single blogger from under his or her bed since day zero, but they are cunningly feigning total ignorance. "Say what? Blogs? Hmmm. Looks like it might be interesting... we'll take a look at it — next year."

You know what, though? Something tells me that is not the case.

Still, I'm sure they'll catch up, if they work at it. Then we'll finally be able to rest in the knowledge that every single word we blog is tapped. And we won't even have to pay a dime for— oh, wait. Nevermind.

While we wait for the thousands of threats to homeland security blocked by blog-tracking to start rolling in, I can only hope that a certain commenter on Mamatas' journal is right:

'So...some government dude's new job description is to read livejournal all day, tracking "cutting-edge information and opinion"...sign me up! Sounds like a great job.'

Hopefully they'll give the job to somebody even remotely smart, lest the blogosphere is entirely wasted on them. That would be a shame.