According to new reports, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is preparing to launch a 24/7 social media surveillance program that could track billions of online posts in real time.
Documents reviewed by WIRED and The Verge show ICE wants to hire nearly 30 private contractors to monitor platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter). The agency says the goal is to identify public safety and national security threats, but civil rights groups warn it could easily expand into mass surveillance.
The program reportedly involves technology from Zignal Labs, a company that builds powerful data analysis systems. These tools use artificial intelligence to scan online posts, recognize images, and track trends across multiple languages. The reports also point to two proposed monitoring hubs in Vermont and California, which would operate 24 hours a day.
While ICE officials say this type of monitoring is meant to help investigators detect real threats faster, privacy advocates argue it risks collecting information about innocent people, including activists, immigrants, or anyone expressing political opinions. Critics say the plan could have serious effects on free speech if people start censoring themselves out of fear that federal agents might be watching.
