The U.S. Secret Service is reportedly tracking websites like OnlyFans, Pinterest, and Twitch in the lead-up to the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Recently obtained Secret Service briefing sheets show that the agency was regularly monitoring accounts on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) obtained the December 2020 briefing sheets while seeking correspondence leading up to the Capitol riots.
It is still unclear why the Secret Service would have targeted accounts on OnlyFans and Pinterest, given that both websites historically haven’t been associated with violent political rhetoric.
OnlyFans, for example, is a paid service with a reputation for providing adult-themed content, whereas Pinterest is a visual search engine for things like recipes and home design inspiration.
The briefings suggested that “additional checks be made during all shifts” and that posts that directly threatened people or mentioned travel be made aware of.
It is also unclear if this practice has continued under the Biden administration, as these documents date from December 2020.
Reporters have reached out to the Secret Service for comment, but they did not respond regarding the operations to ensure the “highest levels of integrity.”
“[T]he Secret Service is responsible for ensuring the protection and continuity of the American government,” an agency spokesperson said. “We take that mission very seriously and will be vigilant in monitoring all types of open source communications in strict accordance with all federal laws and the Constitution.”
This comes as Congress is moving to shut down the controversial surveillance program, known as Section 702. The program was intended to collect electronic communications from foreign nationals who are living overseas, but it also has the capability to gather information from Americans.
House Republicans are discussing letting the surveillance program sunset completely. Under the previous Trump administration, the GOP accused the federal government of unlawfully targeting former President Donald Trump and his associates, severely souring relations between the party and the law enforcement apparatus.
Meanwhile, Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen has advocated for continuing the program, saying, “What keeps me up at night is thinking about what will happen if we fail to renew Section 702 of FISA.”
