Summary: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is expanding its surveillance capabilities by investing $5.7 million in an AI-powered social media monitoring platform called Zignal Labs. This tool analyzes billions of public posts daily to track individuals, raising serious concerns about privacy, free speech, and the potential targeting of immigrant communities and activists.
ICE’s New AI-Powered Surveillance Tool
As ICE continues to conduct raids nationwide, the agency is rapidly developing an extensive online surveillance system that could monitor millions of social media users. Federal records obtained by The Lever reveal that ICE has contracted Zignal Labs, a platform powered by artificial intelligence, for $5.7 million. Will Owen, communications director at the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (STOP), describes this move as an “assault” on democracy and free speech.
How Zignal Labs Works
Zignal Labs offers a “real-time intelligence” platform capable of processing vast amounts of publicly available data, including social media posts. According to a pamphlet shared by The Lever, the platform uses machine learning, computer vision, and optical character recognition to analyze over 8 billion posts daily in more than 100 languages. This enables ICE to receive curated detection feeds that could flag individuals for deportation.
The technology can capture geolocated images and videos, providing alerts to operators. For example, Zignal Labs analyzed a Telegram video to identify the exact location of an operation in Gaza by recognizing emblems and patches, allowing operators on the ground to be notified. This means ICE could potentially track someone’s location based on geotagged content posted on platforms like TikTok or Facebook.
ICE acquired this contract through Carahsoft, a company that provides IT solutions to government agencies. Zignal Labs has also partnered with organizations like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the US Secret Service, and works with the Department of Defense and Department of Transportation.
The Broader Context of Social Media Surveillance
Monitoring social media is not new for law enforcement. In 2016, the American Civil Liberties Union found that police used a CIA-backed tool called Geofeedia to track protesters across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. However, ICE’s substantial funding allows it to deploy advanced social media monitoring tools on a much larger scale, potentially leading to arrests and deportations nationwide.
Concerns from Civil Liberties Advocates
Will Owen warns that with billions of dollars to spend on spyware, ICE’s surveillance efforts are alarming. He states, “ICE is a lawless agency that will use AI-driven social media monitoring not only to terrorize immigrant families but also to target activists fighting back against their abuses. This is an assault on our democracy and right to free speech, powered by the algorithm and paid for with our tax dollars.” David Greene, civil liberties director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, adds that automated monitoring tools enable the government to surveil viewpoints it dislikes on an unprecedented scale, chilling free speech.
Expanding Surveillance Efforts Beyond Social Media
Beyond social media, ICE has reportedly accessed license plate-scanning cameras and tools that track the movement of millions of phones, according to 404 Media. The Trump administration has also proposed requiring citizenship and residency applicants to provide their social media handles. Since 2019, the State Department has required some visa applicants to disclose social media accounts, expanding this requirement over time.
Additionally, the government has initiated AI-powered programs to monitor posts from student visa holders supporting designated terror organizations. The State Department revoked visas of individuals accused of celebrating violent events, and ICE has made arrests following social media posts flagged by influencers.
The Impact on Free Speech and Democracy
With powerful AI tools like Zignal Labs, ICE no longer needs influencers to identify individuals for deportation, making it riskier to express oneself freely online. Sacha Haworth, executive director of the Tech Oversight Project, emphasizes that this collaboration between Big Tech and an increasingly authoritarian government threatens free speech and should alarm all Americans.
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