ICE’s Expansive Surveillance Tool Monitors Hundreds of Websites and Apps
by James Mills
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) has developed a powerful surveillance tool that allows analysts to extract metadata from hundreds of websites, apps, and platforms, enabling the agency to gather detailed information on individuals, likely to aid in arrests, deportations, and visa enforcement.
ICE’s stated mission is to “secure America’s borders” and uphold “the integrity of our immigration system.” The agency is primarily responsible for inspecting immigration and residency documents at ports of entry and enforcing immigration laws domestically. In recent years, this has entailed extensive tracking and apprehension of individuals residing in the U.S. without authorization, including those who overstayed visas or are wanted for crimes while their immigration status remains unresolved.
To bolster these efforts, ICE has contracted ShadowDragon, a federal contractor, to develop SocialNet, an online surveillance system that aggregates user data from major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, Truth Social, OnlyFans, and others. The tool also monitors niche websites catering to specific interests, such as furries, car enthusiasts, bibliophiles, bodybuilders, and prospective homebuyers. It even scrapes data from pornographic sites, dating platforms, and tech forums like Y Combinator and GitHub. Rumble, a video platform that positions itself as a defender of free expression, is also among the monitored sites.
While some may dismiss concerns about tracking immigration violators, history shows that expansive government surveillance tools often extend beyond their original scope. ShadowDragon’s promotional materials boast that SocialNet can “monitor protests,” suggesting it was deployed during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, D.C., in July 2024.
According to a Statement of Objectives issued to potential contractors last year, ICE is also looking for tools that can “[p]rovide monitoring and analysis of behavioral and social media sentiment (i.e. positive, neutral, and negative).” In other words, ICE wants to monitor lawful and innocuous online activity.
The rise of tools like SocialNet underscores a troubling reality: mass surveillance, once justified for narrow purposes, rarely stays contained. History has shown that such powers inevitably expand—targeting activists, dissidents, and ordinary citizens under the guise of security. Without transparency and strict oversight, these systems risk eroding privacy rights and chilling free expression, turning a tool for enforcement into a weapon against democracy itself. The question is no longer whether such surveillance is possible but whether society will tolerate its unchecked use by the government.
Sources: ice.gov; techdirt.com; 404media.co.
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