Schumer: Feds Need Plan To Assess Radicals On Social Media
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer says federal officials need a new plan to assess how would-be extremists use social media.
The New York Democrat formally announced his support Sunday for the Combat Terrorist Use of Social Media Act of 2015.
Schumer will sponsor the legislation in the Senate. The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday.
Schumer said the bill will work to modernize how federal authorities decipher and decode messages on social media to ultimately disrupt planned attacks.
"The feds need a status update when it comes to analyzing Facebook posts and other social media methods of terrorist groups," he told reporters, including WCBS 880's Ginny Kosola.
The bill would also require officials to evaluate how extremists use social media to further their causes and seek proposals on how authorities could combat that.
Schumer said the federal government needs to screen public postings of those seeking visas and needs to read private emails, getting a warrant if necessary.
"When the messaing is private and it's not an American citizen, we have every right to look at it. When it is an American citizen, obviously there has to be the request for a warrant."
President Barack Obama said Friday that intelligence officials are looking for ways to better monitor public communication by suspected radicals.
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