Washington State Fusion Center Can Use Covert Social Media Aliases, Says It's Not

Last month HardPressed obtained a document outlining the protocols for the covert use of social media by the Washington State Fusion Center (WSFC).

The Social Media Policy states that the WSFC can conduct social network analysis, social media monitoring, use covert online aliases and conduct online undercover activity.

While sworn officers who work with the WSFC can engage in the covert use of social media, the Washington State Patrol (WSP), which manages the WSFC, told HardPressed the WSFC has never done it.

In response to a public records request aiming to daylight any covert social media use, the WSP wrote that "our current, and former, leadership teams have not approved any staff to conduct online undercover activity in support of Fusion Center operations."

"Staff can review publicly viewable social media posts... If information (post/photograph/associations) cannot be seen by a private citizen surfing social media sites, then our staff will also be unable to view it," the WSP wrote to HardPressed. "Staff have not been approved to create alias social media accounts in order to join private groups, make connections with social media users ('friend request'), post comments/photographs onto social media accounts, follow social media users/groups or identify user’s friends/associations."

While the WSFC is not using social media covertly, that doesn't mean that other law enforcement agencies conducting their own investigations are shying away.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with its documented history of covert social media use, has recently doubled down according to leaked documents obtained by Ken Klippenstein.

The Intercept has also previously reported on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Social Media Exploitation (SOMEX) program.

U.S. Special Operations Command has even war-gamed the potential use of influence operations targeting Americans.

The Seattle Police Department can use non-official social media accounts for investigations, according to department policy.

But for now, you can cross the sworn staff at the WSFC off your list after that strange account started following you.