Gov’t To Use Facebook And Twitter To Issue Terror Alerts

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In the near future, retweets could actually be matters of national security.

According to a draft Homeland Security Department plan obtained by The Associated Press, the U.S. government will soon replace the old – and much maligned – five color-coded terror alert system. The new system will have only two warning levels — elevated and imminent — and “will be relayed to the public only under certain circumstances for limited periods of time.” Among the changes: threats will sometimes be relayed using Facebook and Twitter.

The 19-page document describes the “step-by-step process that would occur behind the scenes when the government believes terrorists might be threatening Americans.” It’s dated April 1, and the new system is expected to be in place April 27. Facebook and Twitter would be used “when appropriate,” and only after government officials have been notified.

The AP reports:

The new advisory system is designed to be easier to understand and more specific, but it’s impossible to know how often the public will receive these warnings. The message will always depend on the threat and the intelligence behind it.

But who will tell the Myspace users?

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